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johnschuhmann.bsky.social
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In the 4 Finals Game 7s for which we have play-by-play data, the teams have combined to score an average of 6.7 fewer points per 100 possessions than they scored through the first 6 games of that series. The pace has also been an average of 2.4 possessions/48 slower.

11 straight scoreless possessions for the Thunder going back to the last 3 of the 1st half. Pacers up 28 & OKC not looking like a team interested in coming back from that kind of deficit.

12 combined possessions before we got the first score of the 2nd half. That's a good thing for the team that was up 22.

That was just the 2nd time this season the Thunder went an entire half without a steal. Other time was 1st half @ MIL on 3/16.

Pacers didn't have a single live-ball turnover in the first half. Thunder scored just 42 points on 50 possessions.

2024-25 GM Survey...

Pacers: 2 points on their first 7 possessions, 22 on their last 9. Zero turnovers.

Through 5 games, the Pacers have thrown 598 more passes than the Thunder. That & some more numbers to know (including OKC's success in switching against Haliburton): www.nba.com/news/nba-fin... + Film Study on how OKC finally got going in transition in Game 5: www.nba.com/news/finals-...

Number of ball screens that SGA & Jalen Williams set for each other... Game 1: 1 Game 2: 2 Game 3: 0 Game 4: 9 (including 7 in the 4th quarter) The 9 is tied for the most screens they've set for each other in their 3 years together. via Second Spectrum

Well, this is fun.

Pacers playing Siakam at the 5 (until he picked up his 3rd foul) late in the half allowed them to run some Haliburton/Siakam actions that the Thunder couldn't just switch. Worked pretty well.

Haliburton totally shook SGA out of his shoes & he still came back and purloined the ball.

Pacers' 41 points on 51 possessions (80.4 per 100) is their 3rd worst offensive half of the season.

In the regular season, the Pacers ranked 21st at 1.15 transition points allowed per possession. www.nba.com/stats/teams/... Playoffs... MIL: 86 on 87 (0.99 per) CLE: 88 on 94 (0.94 per) NYK: 103 on 108 (0.95 per) OKC G1: 21 on 22 (0.95 per) via Synergy

I'm fascinated by Caruso's decision not to double. He stunted at Haliburton, but chose to retreat to Siakam diving to the rim, maybe because he didn't trust that help was there.

Pacers... 1st half: 45 points on 54 possessions (0.83 per). 2nd half: 66 on 47 (1.40 per).

Rough 1st half for the Pacers' offense (45 points on 54 possessions), but I enjoyed the "create confusion by setting all the screens at once" play that got Nesmith a corner 3.

OKC starting small (Wallace instead of Hartenstein) puts their most effective lineup on the floor & gives them much more mobility defensively. It could also allow the Pacers to put Nesmith (instead of Nembhard) on SGA. www.nba.com/news/nba-fin...

Some Finals preview stuff... Numbers/film... When the Pacers have the ball: www.nba.com/news/nba-fin... When the Thunder have the ball: www.nba.com/news/nba-fin... 25 numbers to know: www.nba.com/news/25-key-...

The last 3 ECF MVP votes were all 5-4... 2023: Butler over Martin. 2024: Brown over Tatum. 2025: Siakam over Haliburton. 2022 was 8-1 (Tatum over Butler) All 4 WCF MVP votes have been unanimous.

Total point differential in the Eastern Conference finals: Indiana +11 TRANSITION point differential (via Synergy): Indiana +80 Game 6 transition points: 46-18

The Pacers have scored on 9 straight possessions.

Such a great fit w/ Haliburton's touchdown passes.

Ball don't lie on those Towns FTs.

Really wasn't a fast-paced 2nd quarter, but teams combined for 63 points on 44 possessions (1.43 per). It was the third quarter in this series in which the Pacers (33 on 22) scored at least 1.5 ppp.

Dudes need a cup when they contest Anunoby at the rim. Dude kicks that leg out like Ralph Macchio.

Thibs giving Wright & Shamet 7:33 of 1st-half PT is wild.

Did somebody kidnap Thibs? Wright-McBride-Shamet-Hart-Robinson when facing elimination on the road. Wow.

Reminder: Tyrese Haliburton led the league with 9.2 pass-ahead passes per game, according to Second Spectrum.

The Knicks keep their championship dream alive in Game 5 🗽 John Schuhmann gives his 5 biggest takeaways from New York’s clutch win. Game 6 from Indy: Tomorrow at 8pm/et on TNT. 📰 smart.link/qmhiu51wh49te

Haven't watched all 99, but this certainly feels like the Knicks' best defensive game of the season.

That Obi Toppin runner was one of the worst shots of these playoffs.

Jalen Brunson eFG% & scoring in the conference finals... Aaron Nesmith on the floor (105 total minutes) 43.1%, 26.3 points per 36 minutes. Aaron Nesmith off the floor (39 minutes) 81.3%, 52.4 points per 36 minutes.