INDIANAPOLIS — Game 1, a loss on the opposition’s final shot. Game 2, an easy win. Game 3, another loss to fall behind in the series again.
This formula is not the one that would be considered optimal by the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially in the NBA Finals. But if there is some consolation for the overall No. 1 seed in these playoffs, it’s this: the Thunder have been in this exact spot before and found a way to prevail.
That resiliency will be tested yet again, after the Indiana Pacers beat the Thunder 116-107 on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 series lead in these finals. Game 4 is in Indianapolis on Friday night.
“I thought it was an uncharacteristic night in a lot of ways for us,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We got to learn from it and then tap back into being who we are in Game 4. If we do that, I think we’ll have a much better chance to win.”
It was not very Thunder-like in Game 3. They blew a fourth quarter lead for the second time in the series, gave up 21 points off turnovers and let the Pacers’ bench run wild — outscoring the OKC reserves 49-18.
“We’ll watch it. It wasn’t all bad,” Daigneault said. “But we definitely have to play our style and impose our will for more of the 48 minutes if we want to come on the road and get a win.”
There are uncanny similarities between the first three games of this series and the first three games of the Western Conference semifinal matchup between Oklahoma City and Denver.
— In Game 1 of the West semifinals, Aaron Gordon hit a 3-pointer with about 3 seconds left to give the Nuggets a win in Oklahoma City. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton hit a jumper with 0.3 seconds left to give the Pacers a win in Oklahoma City.
— In Game 2 of the West semifinals, the Thunder evened things up with an easy win. In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the Thunder evened things up with an easy win.
— In Game 3 of the West semifinals, Denver — at home for the first time in that series — played from behind most of the night before fighting into overtime and eventually getting a win for a 2-1 series lead. In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Indiana — at home for the first time in the series — trailed for much of the first half before eventually getting a win for a 2-1 series lead.
The Thunder dug their way out of that hole against the Nuggets. And now, the same task awaits — with an NBA title at stake.
“I wouldn’t say that now is the time for emotions, to be thinking about how you’re feeling, emotional this, emotional that,” Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said. “You kind of have to cut that out and look at the substance of what it is. We have a great opportunity here and the great thing is we have another game coming up, Game 4.”
