INDIANAPOLIS — Pipilitin ng Indiana Pacers na makalapit sa inaasam na kauna-unahang NBA championship kontra sa Oklahoma City Thunder sa Game 4 ng NBA Finals.
Inagaw ng Pacers ang 2-1 lead sa kanilang best-of-seven title series matapos resbakan ang Thunder, 116-107, sa Game 3.
Sa kabila ng bentahe sa serye ay wala pang dapat ipagdiwang ang Indiana.
“There’s nothing to get excited about right now,” sabi ni star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. “We’re still a long way away.”
Sa kanilang panalo sa Oklahoma City sa Game 3 ay kumamada si Bennedict Mathurin ng 27 points mula sa bench, habang naglista si guard T.J. McConnell ng 10 points, 5 assists at 5 steals sa loob ng 15 minuto.
Bumira rin ang mga reserves ng Pacers ng 49 points kumpara sa 18 markers ng Thunder.
“It’s got to be a killer edge to beat these guys,” ani Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. “We’re going to be an underdog in every game in this series. … It’s a daunting challenge. Anything less than a total grit mindset, we just don’t have a chance.”
Naging susi rin nila ang depensa kay NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ng Oklahoma City.
Umiskor si Gilgeous-Alexander ng 24 points sa Game 3 matapos humataw ng 34 markers sa panalo ng Thunder sa Game 2 para itabla ang serye sa 1-1.
“You got to suck it up,” ani Gilgeous-Alexander. “There’s a maximum four games left in the season. It’s what you worked the whole season for. It’s what you worked all summer for. To me, the way I see it, you got to suck it up, get it done and try to get a win.”
Si Pacers shooting guard Andrew Nembhard ang primary defender kay Gilgeous-Alexander.
“The biggest thing is just you’re persistent, trying to make it tough on him,” sabi ni Nembhard kay SGA.
Dadalhin ang Game 5 sa Oklahoma City.