First Thoughts: Thunder 118, Pacers 94
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Assistant Editor
First thoughts after the Indiana Pacers were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-94 on Sunday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena:
IN A NUTSHELL: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook dominated and the Pacers were demolished by the Thunder in all phases of the game. Durant, the league’s scoring champ three times in the previous four seasons, scored 36 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and dished five assists in a Sunday night destruction by Oklahoma City. Westbrook had 26 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds. Serge Ibaka scored 13 points and Reggie Jackson chipped in 15 off the bench. Paul George scored 32 points with five rebounds for the Pacers, but it wasn’t nearly enough. The Thunder beat them up and down the floor. Aside from a short stretch early in the third quarter, the Pacers got crushed in every phase. In addition to the Pacers’ porous defense, the offense seemed to have almost no plan at all for how to attack Oklahoma City’s defense. As a result, Indiana will have to settle for an 18-3 record a quarter of the way through a long NBA season.
KEY SEQUENCE: After it was tied at 4, Oklahoma City ripped off a 14-2 run, with Durant scoring 10 points and assisting on two more in the spurt. The Thunder never looked back.
BEST OF THE REST: A late charge in the fourth quarter by Indiana’s reserves prevented the team from being held below 90 points for only the third time. … Oklahoma City and Indiana remain the only teams in the league undefeated at home. … The Thunder did have 19 turnovers but won anyway. … The loss was Indiana’s worst since Jan. 4, 2012, when they fell 118-83 in Miami.
WHAT WE LEARNED: Oklahoma City pushed the ball and played hard throughout the night, avoiding the mid-game lull that usually hits Pacer opponents. It was a dominating win as the Thunder cruised to their 15th win of the year against only four losses. The Pacers wanted to finish off this five-games-in-eight-nights stretch with a victory, but they’ll have to settle for a lopsided defeat instead. It’s clear Indiana needs a day off after the road trip, which they’ll likely get on Monday, before heading back to film and practice on Tuesday. There aren’t many positives Indiana can pull away from this one, so better to just forget the destruction and move on with their most difficult home game of the young season awaiting this week: Miami on Tuesday.
