As the NBA Finals heat up between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, St. John's Red Storm basketball coach Rick Pitino has weighed in with his perspective on the series, particularly focusing on Thunder's star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA). With the Pacers holding a 2-1 lead, Pitino's observations carry weight, given his Hall of Fame coaching career and recent success at St. John's.
Pitino's comments come at a crucial juncture in the series. The Thunder, despite a strong regular season and playoff run, find themselves trailing against a Pacers team that has seemingly flipped the script, employing a fast-paced, inside-out attack that has disrupted OKC's rhythm. Indiana's ability to contain Gilgeous-Alexander, or at least make him work extremely hard for his points, has been a key factor in their success.
In a recent post, Pitino shared his thoughts on the series, emphasizing the Pacers' strategy of honing in on SGA and disrupting the Thunder's offensive flow. While specific details of Pitino's message weren't available, the sentiment is clear: Indiana's focus on limiting SGA's impact is a significant element in their series lead.
This isn't the first time Pitino has publicly praised the Thunder this season. Back in May, after Oklahoma City secured their place in the NBA Finals, Pitino lauded their defensive prowess. He even revealed that he had been showing clips of the Thunder's defense to his St. John's team, something he had never done before with NBA teams in his 40+ years of coaching. Pitino highlighted their switching, help rotations, and overall team defense as exceptional, especially considering the team's youth. He noted that the Thunder's defensive excellence has fueled their elite offense, and with SGA's MVP-caliber play, they have all the components of a championship-winning team.
During the Thunder's series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Pitino observed how OKC's defense stifled Anthony Edwards, making the rising star uncomfortable and limiting his effectiveness. This defensive intensity is what Pitino finds so valuable and worthy of emulation. The Thunder finished the regular season with the league's best defensive rating (106.6) and have maintained a high level of defensive play throughout the playoffs.
However, the Pacers present a different challenge. Their offense is not centered around one dominant scorer but features a balanced attack with multiple players capable of making key contributions. In Game 1, despite SGA's 38 points, the Pacers managed to steal a victory with a last-second shot from Tyrese Haliburton, demonstrating their resilience and ability to execute in crunch time.
Pitino's insights underscore the importance of team defense and the challenges of containing a dynamic player like SGA. While SGA is undoubtedly a phenomenal talent, the Pacers' ability to limit his supporting cast and force him into difficult shots has been a key to their success. As the series progresses, it will be interesting to see how the Thunder adjust their approach and whether they can find ways to unleash SGA while also getting more contributions from their other players. Pitino's observations offer a valuable perspective on the strategic battles unfolding in this compelling NBA Finals matchup.
