Oklahoma City

Thunder

While he may not be one of the marquee names in these NBA Finals, it’s fair to wonder where the Thunder would be without Caruso. He’s scored 20 points in both of Oklahoma City’s victories, and Friday’s offensive effort was supplemented by five steals and a blocked shot on the other end of the floor. While Isaiah Hartenstein (two points, six rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes) returned to the starting lineup with Cason Wallace (two points, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes) being bumped to the bench, Caruso was still the preferred option as Oklahoma City mounted its fourth-quarter rally. Caruso played 32 and 30 minutes in Games 3 and 4, and the Thunder may need him to continue shouldering that caliber of workload to win this series.

After two modest performances in the first two games of the NBA Finals, Williams upped his production in Indianapolis. In the two games, he totaled 53 points, shooting 17-of-36 from the field and 18-of-22 from the foul line. Friday night, Williams did most of his damage in the restricted area and at the charity stripe. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge in crunch time, but J-Dub’s ability to get to the foul line kept Oklahoma City within striking distance. That said, his perimeter shooting must improve, as Williams has shot 3-of-14 from deep in the first four games. Game 5 is on Monday, with the series tied at two games apiece.

While Holmgren has been relatively quiet offensively in the NBA Finals, his rebounding has improved by the game. After grabbing six rebounds in Games 1 and 2, the slender forward hit double digits in both games in Indianapolis. The 15 rebounds in Game 4 were one shy of his playoff career-high, and Holmgren has accounted for at least 10 in nine games this postseason. The lone concern for Chet coming out of Game 4 was him rolling his left ankle on two separate occasions, in the first and fourth quarters. However, he did not have to exit the game following either injury, and Game 5 is not until Monday night.

With his team staring at a 3-1 deficit, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player stepped up when the Thunder needed him most. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the final 4:36 of Game 4, including a step-back jumper with 2:23 remaining that gave Oklahoma City the lead for good. He was perfect from the foul line and shot 50 percent from the field to lead the Thunder to a win that returned home-court advantage to the Western Conference champions. However, SGA did not record an assist, the first time he’s done so in these playoffs. Oklahoma City tried to play him off the ball more, but that approach tended to slow the team down more than they hoped. That changed in crunch time, and Gilgeous-Alexander did what he’s expected to do. Game 5 is on Monday night.

After starting Cason Wallace in the first three games of the NBA Finals, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has gone back to his usual first five. Hartenstein returns to the lineup, with Wallace heading to the bench. Hartenstein can be a capable facilitator in the short roll, and his floater in those spots is close to automatic. After playing 33 minutes in Game 1, Wallace logged 24 and 23 minutes in Games 2 and 3.

While Holmgren’s box score shows a solid effort with 20 points and 10 rebounds, the 23-year-old power forward certainly struggled against a physical Pacers frontline. This was encapsulated in one of the final Thunder possessions. With two minutes left and down six points, Holmgren passed up an opportunity to drive after getting the ball on a pick and roll. Later in the possession, he appeared open for a three-pointer, but was blocked by Myles Turner. After corralling the miss, Holmgren drove the lane but was denied again by Turner, with help defense from Pascal Siakam, and the possession went to the Pacers. Holmgren will need to bounce back if the Thunder are going to get back into this series with a win in Game 4 on Friday.

To say that Gilgeous-Alexander struggled in Game 3 would be an understatement. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle joked earlier this week that the 26-year-old point guard would have 34 points as soon as he got off the bus. Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander finished Game 3 with 24 and a playoff career-high six turnovers against the Pacers’ swarming defense. A better offensive effort from SGA is paramount for the Thunder in Game 4 on Friday.

Caruso has been Oklahoma City’s most productive reserve in the NBA Finals, which makes some sense due to him being the lone player on the roster with a championship ring. After recording 11 points and a complete stat line in Game 1, Caruso was more lethal as a scorer in Game 2. A double-digit score in three of his last four appearances, the 20 points are the most Caruso has tallied in a game since Game 1 of the Thunder’s second-round series against Denver. Given the matchup, he should continue to hit the high-20s in minutes, which raises Caruso’s ceiling on both ends of the floor. Game 3 is on Wednesday in Indianapolis.

After only scoring 28 points in Game 1, Oklahoma City’s reserves were more impactful in Game 2, finishing with 48. Wiggins helped lead the way, as the 18 points were the most he’s scored in a game since the Thunder’s Game 1 win over the Grizzlies in the first round. Expecting production of this caliber from Wiggins consistently would be a bit much. Still, he’ll need to be a factor, especially if Oklahoma City continues to start Cason Wallace (4/3/1/2/1 in 24 minutes). Sunday’s rout was a reminder of what Wiggins is capable of offensively.

After shooting 6-of-19 from the field in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Williams was better in Sunday’s victory. While the percentage still has room for growth, J-Dub attempted nine free throws after getting just four on Thursday. Add in the rebounds and assists, and Williams managed to bring more to the table following his disappointing Finals debut. Oklahoma City outscored Indiana by a 33-21 margin in the second quarter, and Williams was a factor, shooting 3-of-6 from the field and scoring nine points. That’s the level of offensive aggression the Thunder will need J-Dub to bring to the table consistently if they’re to win the series. Game 3 is on Wednesday in Indianapolis.