You’ll be able to’t cease him. You’ll be able to solely hope to comprise him.
These are phrases the Indiana Pacers ought to reside 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 power in the course of the common season, averaging a league-best 32.7 factors. Within the playoffs, he’s averaging 29.8 factors, third finest within the league.
Making an attempt to corral SGA for doubtlessly seven video games is tough, but it surely’s not unattainable. 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? Briefly, combine it up and make him uncomfortable beginning with Recreation 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 Recreation 6 of the Japanese Convention Finals. In accordance 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 wonderful consequence.
This isn’t to say Nembhard was blanketing Brunson for the whole sequence. 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 sequence.
Aaron Nesmith will probably 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 may make or break the sequence for the Pacers. The rationale Nembhard was so efficient in Recreation 6 is that he had six steals and Brunson solely tried two free throws — properly beneath 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 sort of 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 power 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 consequence: 30.8 factors per recreation within the five-game sequence on 42.9% taking pictures from the ground.
Even worse, Minnesota despatched Gilgeous-Alexander to the road almost 12 occasions per recreation. He made 40-of-47 makes an attempt within the sequence (85.1 p.c). Indiana can not enable that.
Does containing SGA imply the Pacers win the sequence?
Not essentially. If Indiana bottles up Gilgeous-Alexander, he is nonetheless a wonderful passer. He averaged 8.3 assists within the Western Convention Finals and OKC has weapons everywhere in the ground.
Nonetheless, within the common season and playoffs, SGA has been held to fewer than 20 factors 4 occasions. 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 conserving 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 sequence is something just like the close-out Recreation 6 of the Japanese Convention Finals towards New York, Indianapolis could be holding a parade in June.
