You may’t cease him. You may solely hope to include him.
These are phrases the Indiana Pacers ought to dwell by as they put together for the NBA Finals towards guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. SGA, recent off his first MVP award, was an unstoppable drive in the course of the common season, averaging a league-best 32.7 factors. Within the playoffs, he’s averaging 29.8 factors, third greatest within the league.
Attempting to corral SGA for probably seven video games is tough, however it’s not not possible. Enjoying tight protection towards stars is one thing the Pacers are accustomed to this postseason. Indiana has already defeated Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (30.4 PPG throughout common season), New York’s Jalen Brunson (26 PPG) and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell (24 PPG). Every was among the many top-16 scorers within the league this season.
However the 6-foot-6 Gilgeous-Alexander presents a matchup nightmare for guards. What can Indiana do to sluggish him? In brief, combine it up and make him uncomfortable beginning with Sport 1 Thursday in Oklahoma Metropolis (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
Who will defend SGA?
Andrew Nembhard drew excessive reward for his protection on Brunson in Sport 6 of the Japanese Convention Finals. In keeping with Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote, Nembhard defended Brunson for 55 match-ups, giving up simply 9.1 participant factors per 100 match-ups, a superb end result.
This isn’t to say Nembhard was blanketing Brunson for the complete collection. Cooper additionally cited that he defended Brunson for 49 match-ups, permitting 51.0 participant factors per 100 match-ups, within the first 5 video games of the collection.
Aaron Nesmith will almost definitely draw SGA essentially the most together with Nembhard, however Nesmith was hampered by accidents late within the Japanese Convention Finals, forcing Indiana to show to Nembhard.
How ought to Indy defend him?
How does Indiana stability aggressive protection with out fouling? That can make or break the collection for the Pacers. The explanation Nembhard was so efficient in Sport 6 is that he had six steals and Brunson solely tried two free throws — properly under his common of seven.8 makes an attempt per recreation in the course of the postseason.
Gilgeous-Alexander has a fast first step and is almost unstoppable if the principle defender is left on an island to protect him. The Pacers should throw a number of defenders at him, be bodily with him off screens and attempt to drive him to surrender the ball.
Too typically within the Western Convention Finals the Minnesota Timberwolves left a single defender on SGA, permitting him to simply run his man into screens. The end result: 30.8 factors per recreation within the five-game collection on 42.9% capturing from the ground.
Even worse, Minnesota despatched Gilgeous-Alexander to the road almost 12 instances per recreation. He made 40-of-47 makes an attempt within the collection (85.1 p.c). Indiana can not enable that.
Does containing SGA imply the Pacers win the collection?
Not essentially. If Indiana bottles up Gilgeous-Alexander, he is nonetheless a superb passer. He averaged 8.3 assists within the Western Convention Finals and OKC has weapons all around the ground.
Nonetheless, within the common season and playoffs, SGA has been held to fewer than 20 factors 4 instances. OKC is 2-2 in these video games, together with a 1-2 file within the postseason. In all 4 video games, the important thing to limiting his manufacturing was holding him off the free-throw line. He shot simply 18 free throws mixed in these video games.
OKC is simply too good to fold simply ought to Indiana execute its defensive recreation plan to perfection towards the league MVP. Nonetheless, if the Pacers’ protection within the collection is something just like the close-out Sport 6 of the Japanese Convention Finals towards New York, Indianapolis could be holding a parade in June.
