Pacers G5 loses to the Thunder, Carlisle talks about the impact of injury, the team faces huge challenges

On June 17, the NBA playoffs were in fierce competition again, and the Pacers lost 109-120 in the away game against the Thunder in the Finals G5. Although they struggled to catch up in the second half, they ultimately failed to achieve a reversal due to mistakes and sluggish performance in the first half. At the beginning of the game, Nesmith opened up the Pacers with a mid-range shot. However, Siakam then quickly helped the Thunder score 5 points in a row, and the Pacers once showed a positive start. However, the offensive stagnation occurred in the following game, and the team failed to score for several minutes, and it was not until Turner forced the offense that he stopped the decline for the team. As Materin hit the basket, but in the last few minutes, the Pacers fell into scoring drought again, shooting percentage plummeted and made consecutive mistakes. At the end of the first quarter, the situation on the field took a sharp turn for the worse.

Entered the second quarter, and the Pacers' offense still failed to recover, and there was still no score in nearly two minutes. At this time, Siakam stepped forward again to open up a scoring channel for the Thunder. While Siakam hit the basket, McConnor and Nesmith made key three-pointers from outside the three-point line, providing the Pacers with the necessary support. But the Pacers still make frequent mistakes and struggles during the attack. Although Toppin's dunk ignited the team's fighting spirit, the Pacers were still behind 45-59 at the end of the half.

The Pacers' performance improved slightly after the intermission. However, as soon as they returned to the court, they made consecutive mistakes. Siakam took the lead in attacking, Nesmith and Turner fired continuously outside the three-point line, and the Pacers gradually regained their feelings. McConnor was like a cheat, with frequent assists, and more mid-range shots and breakthrough performances. He scored 14 points in a single quarter, helping the team keep a close eye on the score. By the end of the third quarter, the Pacers were still at a disadvantage 79 to 87. The Pacers did not choose to give up in the fourth quarter and re-emphasized their strength and launched a fierce attack on the basket from the beginning. Siakam quickly scored 9 points in a row with breakthroughs and layups and a three-pointer, greatly boosting the team's morale. The confrontation between the two sides became increasingly fierce on the court, and the battle was in a stalemate. However, after a few minutes of stalemate, the Pacers still could not find a chance to chase points. Finally, in the last two minutes, head coach Carlisle decided to replace the main player and chose to give up the game. The Pacers finally lost to the Thunder 109-120. After the game, Pacers coach Carlisle expressed his voice in an interview with the media: "At this time of year, the impact of injuries on players is obvious. They have played more than 100 games. This is a life-changing opportunity. Despite some minor injuries, many players still choose to stick to the court. Of course, if it is really a serious injury, it is completely different."

Talking about the reasons for the team's defeat, Carlisle pointed out that due to the injury of many players, the team's overall condition has declined. Although these words have a certain self-judgment meaning, he also emphasized that the competition has not yet ended and the Pacers still have a chance to counterattack.