Shorthanded Thunder Can't Hang With Pacers in Tough Road Loss

The Thunder couldn't get the win in an important road matchup.

Apr 5, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) looks to / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder struggled to get stops in a tough loss.

The Thunder lost 126-112 to the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to mark the team’s third straight loss. Although they made runs throughout the game, the Thunder were not able to break through.

The Pacers took their largest lead early in the fourth quarter as Obi Toppin’s free throws increased their advantage to 16. T.J. McConnell’s bank shot inside a possession later pushed the lead to 18.

Five quick points from Lu Dort helped keep the game from getting out of hand. However, the Thunder were never able to cut their deficit to single digits.

Throughout the third quarter, Oklahoma City attempted to cut into its deficit. Despite getting within two points, Indiana still took an 11-point lead to the final frame.

The Pacers’ offense was led by their starting frontcourt of Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Those two combined for 37 points, while McConnell finished with 16 points and 10 assists off the bench.

After Indiana took a 10-point lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter, Oklahoma City battled back to cut the lead to one. However, Indiana did not allow its lead to shrink any further and grew it to as much as 13 before taking a 10-point lead into halftime.

The Thunder’s offensive attack relied on getting to the basket, scoring 62 points in the paint. However, it also came with a rough shooting night from beyond the arc, with the Thunder shooting just 8-of-30 from that range.

Oklahoma City took advantage of Indiana’s 24th-ranked defense early, taking a 32-31 lead after the first quarter. Oklahoma City held a double-digit lead in the quarter but could not hang onto it for long.

Chet Holmgren picked up three fouls in the first quarter, which the Thunder could not afford. Like the first matchup against the Pacers, Jalen Williams missed Friday’s game. However, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also out, the Thunder were already without their primary scoring threats.

With those players out, Isaiah Joe and Gordon Hayward stepped into the starting five. The two combined for 17 points, with Joe making his first start this season. Meanwhile, Josh Giddey took control as a playmaker, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists.

The Thunder will play their final regular season road game when they play the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.

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