NBA Finals: Thunder open another big lead and keep control, topping Pacers 123-107

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY This has been Oklahoma City s formula all season Lose one challenge respond in the next That s exactly what the Thunder did in Battle of the NBA Finals Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored points Alex Caruso added off the bench and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers - on Sunday night to tie these finals at one match apiece Jalen Williams scored Aaron Wiggins had and Chet Holmgren finished with for the Thunder It was the franchise s first finals event win since the opener of the series against Miami We did a few things good tonight We did particular things bad Gilgeous-Alexander announced We ve got to be able to get better and be ready for Match Tyrese Haliburton scored for Indiana which erased a -point fourth-quarter deficit in Challenge but never made a push on Sunday Myles Turner scored and Pascal Siakam added for the Pacers the first squad since Miami in to not have a -point scorer in the first two games of the finals Championship is Wednesday at Indianapolis in what will be the first finals battle in that city in years Gilgeous-Alexander s first basket of the night was a history-maker It gave him points on the season including the regular season and playoffs And later in Championship he passed New York s Jalen Brunson as the leading overall scorer in these playoffs But the real milestone for the MVP came a couple hours later when he and the greater part everybody else on the Thunder got a finals win for the first time A - run in the second quarter turned what was a six-point battle into a -point Thunder lead It might have seemed wobbly a couple of times an immediate - rebuttal by the Pacers made it - and Indiana was within again after Andrew Nembhard s layup with left in the third but the Thunder lead was never in serious doubt Related Articles Former Warriors coach Don Nelson to be honored at NBA Finals for lifetime in basketball Photographer s Notebook The Final Frame Inside the Comeback How the Pacers pulled off a stunner in Battle of the NBA Finals Thunder or Pacers Who should Warriors fans root for in NBA Finals Chipotle Mexican Grill is offering free food during NBA finals With the noise level in the building often topping decibels a chainsaw is dB for comparison purposes the Thunder did what they ve done pretty much all season They came off a loss this time a - defeat in Encounter and blew somebody out as their response Including the NBA Cup title competition which doesn t count in any standings the Thunder are now - this season when coming off a loss Of those wins have been by double digits