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The Definitive Pacers vs Thunder NBA Finals Preview
🕑 Added 2025-06-03 22:17:18 +0000 UTCIt's about to get weird
By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper
When it comes to the two teams that advanced to the NBA Finals, abnormal is the new normal. One team, helmed by arguably the most unconventional mover in the NBA, also defies conventional wisdom on defense, overhelping and swarming the ball with just as much unpredictable efficacy as the league MVP's next step. The other team, meanwhile, makes room for each other, as a team, with shape-shifting adaptability that mirrors their oftentimes fluid relationship with how often and to what degree they sink toward the ball. Both teams are from small markets, both teams will apply loads of ball-pressure, and both teams have some guards who will play like bigs and bigs who will play like guards; but overall, they are mainly only alike in how much they are different -- both with respect to each other, as well as the rest of the league. Let's talk about it!
Joining me to discuss the NBA Finals between the Pacers and Thunder, while also answering patron-only mailbag questions about a series that projects to get weird, is once again Samson Folk.
Here are the relevant timestamps:
0:00 - Introductions
2:05 - The Pacers have not played a defense like OKC's
9:32 - Myles Turner operating out of the mid-post from between 3-10 feet as an optimum possession for OKC?
13:20 - Cross-matching centers onto Siakam (and Nesmith?)
14:44 - The Thunder have not played an offense like IND's + thoughts on playing through the corners
16:40 - Tyrese can beat the timing of scram switches (will there be scram switches?)
20:55 - The challenge of going up against a weird basketball game when there's only two games played between Finals opponents during the regular season
22:23 - Pros/Cons and accessibility of the (Pace)rs against OKC's pressure
26:24 - The potential for small-ball to be more bothersome than tall-ball
27:33 - Will the Pacers try the "Mitchell scheme" against SGA?
29:38 - (Brief aside on Andrew Nembhard defending SGA while wearing his shoes + our favorite basketball shoes we've ever owned)
35:05 - Defensive match-ups and Siakam as a defensive lynchpin
44:28 - OKC replicating/upgrading the "Bridges/O.G face-guard Tyrese+ defend Nembhard with strongest possible match-up" scheme
54:06 - OKC as an amalgamation of what bothered the Pacers during every round of the playoffs + whether those lessons will prepare them for this
57:58 - Could playing "a little bit" of zone be in play for the Pacers?
1:06:42 - Abnormal becoming the new normal with both teams potentially becoming trendsetters moving forward
1:09:06 - Banter about ratings, brain rot words, Samson having a personal Reddit reader, etc. + final thoughts on Siakam's advantages in this match-up
1:17:26 - Thank you & Goodbye
Comments
Norma
Good pod
CK
I think Nembhard will do better on Jaylen Williams than Caitilin thinks. I think we will see that some of the time. And I think showing help may not be sufficient. I think will be doubles and blitzes from guys not named Chet or Jaylen. And then staying home the rest of the time. But I want to see if those other guys can hit threes to win a championship.
