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“NBA-NHL…A TEST OF WILLS”
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The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Florida Panthers are trying to impose their wills in the NBA and NHL finals. The people on the receiving end of this punishment, the Indiana Pacers and Edmonton Oilers are being challenged like never before.
Oklahoma City responded to its opening night home-court loss, by choking Indiana into a second game loss to even the series. In doing so, they made a statement, about their smarts, their athleticism, their depth.
OKC took Indiana hero Tyrese Haliburton out of the second game, holding him to 1-basket in a 36-minute window. The Thunder built a 23-point lead and gave the Pacers virtually no chance of coming back.
Top firepower guy off the bench, Obi Toppin had 1-basket for the entire night. Indiana’s bigs, led by Myles Turner, got nothing done in the paint either.
At the other end of the floor, OKC went to a spread offense, hit threes, got lots of rebounds, pushed the tempo all night, got guys open and watched Indiana’s defense melt down.
It only counted for one win, but it was really dominant and sets the stage for Wednesday’s 3rd game back in Indianapolis. Now we see what the Pacers can do to knock the Thunder out of rhythm? Foul them? Make it a grit-grime game? Get Haliburton going from the opening tip?
The Pacers have led in this series for all of (1:54) in two games.
In the NHL, the Florida Panthers are in the face, in the head, on the body of the Edmonton Oilers. They lead the series 2-1 in what has become ugly, tough guy, big boy hockey.
Florida was built for this. Fierce forechecking, cheap stunts, dirty tricks, late hits, and tons of shots and lots of traffic infront of the Oilers goalie. Call them ‘Team Ill-Will’.
Add on, Edmonton came unglued, trying to retaliate and taking 25-penalties, spending a ton of the night killing penalties, and just not getting into a skating game to feature Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl.
It was ugly, it was vintage Florida, it was back to back games in which the refs seemed to lose control. It was borderline assault with intent to run the Oilers out of the playoffs. And they got away with it.
So the Oilers will have to figure a way not to retaliate, let their hockey skills get them back in the game. They need goalie Stuart Skinner not to get rattled either and let in soft goals.
Wednesday-Thursday nights will be a test of wills. Can the Indiana Pacers counteract all things Oklahoma City? Can the Oilers respond on the ice, and not go to the penalty box on Thursday? We find out shortly.
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