Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers find themselves in an unexpected position heading into Monday's pivotal Game 5, with the NBA Finals series tied 2-2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Few analysts predicted such an even matchup when the series began, yet the Pacers have twice claimed the series lead.
The Pacers' star guard has been remarkably consistent with his three-point attempts throughout the series, launching between 7-8 shots from deep in each of the first four games. While his efficiency has dipped to 33.3% during the Finals—below his regular season mark of 38.8%—Haliburton has still managed to sink more than 2.5 threes in half the games so far.
With Isaiah Hartenstein rejoining the Thunder's starting lineup and clogging the paint, expect Haliburton to increase his outside shooting as the Pacers look to space the floor. Road games often demand more from team leaders, and Haliburton's long-range shooting could be the difference-maker.
On the other side, Alex Caruso has emerged as the Thunder's most reliable bench player. The defensive specialist has been lighting it up offensively, averaging 14.8 points in the series and posting two 20-point performances. Interestingly, he's been particularly effective in home games—the setting for Monday's crucial matchup.
Caruso's three-point shooting has been deadly against the Pacers, connecting on 50% of his attempts while knocking down an average of 2 triples per game. He's also been aggressive in attacking the rim, earning nearly 4 free throw makes per game during the Finals.
With the Pacers focusing their defensive attention on slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Caruso should continue finding open looks. His playing time has increased to at least 30 minutes in the last two contests, giving him ample opportunity to impact the game.
Can the Pacers steal another road win and earn a chance to close out the series at home in Game 6? Or will the Thunder's role players like Caruso make the difference in front of their home crowd?
