Made to prevail on another set of terms, Thunder one victory from winning it all
How many coaches, unprompted, would voluntarily bring up the real reason their team lost the game?
At least one, because Indiana skipper Rick Carlisle brought it up Wednesday night following the Thunder’s 120-109 NBA Finals Game 5 victory over the Pacers inside Paycom Center.
“Nobody is asking about turnovers,” Carlisle said. “We had 23 turnovers for 32 points. That’s the game.”
That, indeed, is one way to look at it.
Meanwhile, listening to Mike Breen, Richard Jefferson, Doris Burke, Scott Van Pelt, Kendrick Perkins and Stephen A. Smith — ESPN talking heads all — it was all Jalen Williams and why not?
The player affectionately known as “J-Dub” poured in 40 points and the Thunder would have been nowhere without him.
Williams netted six in the first quarter, 10 in the second, 13 in the third, and 11 in the fourth, so let the record show he was a big part of Oklahoma City pushing its halftime edge to 14 points, of keeping it afloat in the third quarter as Indiana began to rally itself back into the game, and also the biggest part, offensively at least, of putting the Pacers away.
In any company, you’re safe with the “J-Dub wouldn’t let them lose, it’s that simple,” take.
Friends and acquaintances will never disagree.
Still, how the Thunder won is both more nuanced and encompassing than that.
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