Player grades: Short-handed Thunder’s 126-112 loss to Pacers extends losing streak
Catching a zip pass from Obi Toppin, Pascal Siakam threw down the loud transition dunk to push Indiana’s lead to 16 points with less than four minutes left. OKC called a timeout and cleared its bench as it was on its way to its third straight loss.
The short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 126-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers. The loss marked the first three-game losing skid of the season for the Thunder, who were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
Both teams exchanged points at a fast rate in the opening quarter. The Thunder built a 24-15 lead before the Pacers closed the first frame strongly to cut OKC’s lead to 32-31 at the end of the period.
A 25-5 first-half run by Indiana saw it flip the scoreboard and lead by 10 points with over eight minutes left in the second frame. Before the Pacers could add to their lead, the Thunder rattled off nine straight points to slice it into a one-point deficit with a little under seven minutes left in the first half.
In a quarter of massive swings, the Pacers went on a 12-1 run to create a 59-47 lead with 4:45 left in the second frame. In total, they scored 38 points in the second quarter. Indiana entered halftime with a 69-59 lead over OKC.
The Thunder kept it competitive in the third quarter and utilized a 12-2 run to turn it into an 82-80 deficit with a little under five minutes left in the frame. But the Pacers once again ballooned their lead back with a 31-point third frame. After three quarters, the Thunder couldn’t eat into their halftime deficit and entered the final frame in a 100-89 hole.
The Thunder managed to cut it into a single-digit deficit a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but never seriously threatened the Pacers with a comeback attempt. Indiana’s 26-point final frame kept a healthy distance on the scoreboard until the final buzzer.
The Thunder shot 49% from the field but went a cold 8-of-30 (26.7%) from 3. They went 20-of-24 from the free-throw line. They dished out 24 assists on 42 baskets. Six Thunder players scored double-digit points.
Lu Dort led the way with 22 points. Chet Holmgren was limited to 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds and three blocks. Josh Giddey had a near 14-point triple-double.
Meanwhile, the Pacers shot 52% from the field and went a hot 15-of-35 (42.9%) from 3. They shot 19-of-21 from the free-throw line. They had 30 assists on 46 baskets. It was an evenly-distributed offensive outing as six Pacers players scored double-digit points.
Siakam had 21 points and five rebounds. Myles Turner had 16 points and three rebounds. T.J. McConnell collected a 16-point and 10-assist double-double off the bench. Tyrese Haliburton had a modest eight points and 11 assists. Aaron Nesmith totaled 17 points and Toppin scored 15 points.
The outside shot proved to be a major difference between both squads. Indiana outscored OKC by 21 points on 3-pointers alone in a 14-point margin.
As the Thunder hope Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams return soon, they’re likely locked for the third seed with less than two weeks left in the regular season. It’s been a rough stretch as OKC’s suffered its first extensive loss streak of the year, but the health of its top two players prioritizes seeding.
Let’s look at Thunder player grades.
