The Indiana Pacers' bench depth might be proving to be too much for the Oklahoma City Thunder three games into the NBA Finals, and it is a big reason they are up 2-1 in the series.
Oklahoma City has a fantastic second unit that can contribute on both sides of the ball, and their bench is a huge reason they were as dominant as they were in the regular season. However, the Thunder's best reserves are defenders, spot-up shooters, and rebounders. This is primarily because of Cason Wallace now being a starter in this series. On paper, this isn't much of a problem, but it is against the Pacers, who also have one of the deepest teams in the league.
The Pacers have plenty of players on their bench who are shot creators, which makes things a lot more difficult for the Thunder defensively. That can swing the series in their favor, and so far, that is exactly what has happened, especially in Game 3 when the Pacers' bench outscored the Thunder's 49-18.
One of the key matchups to watch in this series was each team's bench going up against one another. In Game 3, this went Indiana's way, and they may have given the Thunder a problem they have no solution to.
The Pacers' second unit is key to their success
One of the most interesting things about the Pacers' roster is how deep they are. They are not more talented than the Thunder on paper, but they are giving them problems for the exact same reason they gave their past playoff opponents problems: they have a wide range of guys who can step up and lead the way. In Game 3, it was Bennedict Mathurin who stepped up.
During the Pacers' latest victory, Mathurin scored 27 points while shooting 9-for-12 from the field in 22 minutes. He was the game's leading scorer, and only T.J. McConnell (10 points on 3-for-8 shooting) scored double-digit points off the bench for either team. Without his performance, there is a great chance the Pacers do not win Game 3 and take a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals.
The Pacers have quality at every position. This, mixed with their elite team chemistry and resilience, makes playing them an incredibly difficult challenge from tip-off all the way to when the clock hits zero. Even against a team like Oklahoma City, who has one of the best defenses the NBA has seen in recent history, the Pacers know how to utilize their depth to their advantage.
As Indiana looks to build on their momentum and eliminate the Thunder as early as possible to bring home the Larry O'Brien Trophy, they must aim to keep doing what has worked for them up to this point. In addition to their play on the court, a lot of the Pacers' success comes from their gameplans and strategies. Fortunately for them, head coach Rick Carlisle has seemingly cracked the code, and it may be the biggest reason they are on pace to win their first-ever NBA Championship this season.