Alright, so the NBA Finals are officially a series! After that gut-wrenching Game 1 collapse, Oklahoma City Thunder came out for Game 2 on Sunday night with a whole different energy, and man, was it a thing of beauty. They absolutely dominated the Indiana Pacers 123-107 to even things up at 1-1. The vibes are clearly immaculate in that OKC locker room right now, so much so that the players are out here playfully roasting each other in interviews.

This is the kind of stuff fans live for – a little insight into the team’s chemistry, especially when they’re on the biggest stage in the world. It all started when a reporter asked Jaylen Williams, “What’s is that feeling like when you have to dribble and and Alex Caruso is right in front of you?” Now, you’d expect a pretty standard answer about how tough Caruso is, right? Nope. J-Dub, with a laugh, hit everyone with this gem: “I’d be frying AC, so I don’t really know.” The confidence!

So, of course, someone had to ask Caruso about it. When a reporter told him that Jaylen said he usually “fries” him in practice, Caruso, ever the cool veteran, didn’t get defensive. Instead, he made a pretty honest and, frankly, relatable confession. “Doug’s just a very confident individual,” Caruso started, using J-Dub’s college nickname. “I’m not the best practice player. Once I made it to an NBA roster and signed a contract, my intensity in practice dropped a little bit.”

How real is that? He basically admitted he saves his energy for when it really counts. “The games are what matter most to me now—I think I’ve earned that spot in my career. So yeah, we’ll let him have the days in between games.” That’s a vet move right there – letting the young guy feel good about practice wins while you’re busy locking people up in the NBA Finals.

That game-time focus Caruso talked about was on full display in their big Game 2 win. The Thunder’s defense, after giving up that heartbreaking comeback in Game 1, looked completely different. Caruso, during his on-court interview, explained their mentality: “Yeah, I think we had a lot of the same effort we had in the first game. Uh just a little more concentration on a couple plays and finishing possessions.” But he also showed that championship mindset, never being satisfied: “Uh that being said, we still weren’t perfect. You know, there’s still rooms for us to grow and be better…” That’s the kind of locker room mentality that wins titles – always looking to improve, even after a dominant victory.

Caruso himself had a huge night off the bench, dropping 20 points, and he was quick to shout out the whole second unit, especially Aaron Wiggins, who chipped in 18 unexpected points. “Yeah. I mean, every game… it’s going to be somebody on the bench. We never know whose turn it is. So, just staying ready,” Caruso said, highlighting that “next man up” philosophy. This team is deep, they’re connected, and they’re clearly having a blast, whether it’s on the court in the Finals or playfully roasting each other in practice. But, splitting at home isn’t the goal; a parade is. As the series shifts to Indiana, the question becomes: what’s the formula to win three more games?

The Thunder’s championship blueprint – How OKC can win it all

First things first, it all starts with their defense. In game 2, They held the Pacers to just 35% from three and kept Tyrese Haliburton in check, holding him to just five points through the first three quarters when the game was actually competitive. Haliburton himself even admitted how tough they are: “Defensively they have a lot of different guys who can guard the ball, fly around. They are really physical.” That’s the Thunder defense that was the best in the league. For them to win this series, that defense has to show up every single night, especially on the road in Indiana.

Next up, they need the best version of their MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And the best version isn’t necessarily the one who scores the most, it’s the one who plays the smartest. In Game 1, SGA was solid, but he needed 30 shots to get his 38 points. But in Game 2? He was brilliant. He dropped an efficient 34 points on just 21 shots, but more importantly, he dished out eight assists to six different teammates. As Jalen Williams said, “I think when your best player is out there and he trusts you to make a play, it just gives you more confidence.” That’s the key.

And that brings us to the supporting cast, specifically Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. After a rough Game 1 where they were both heavily scrutinized for their shooting, they bounced back big time in Game 2. Chet, after scoring just six points in the opener, was much more effective with 15 points and six boards. J-Dub scored 19 and was getting to the free-throw line. For OKC to be champions, they can’t just rely on SGA to do everything. They need their other young stars, their “other guys,” to consistently show up and be threats. Game 2 was a great sign, but they need to keep that energy for the rest of the series.

Finally, OKC has to lean into their depth and trust Coach Mark Daigneault’s smart adjustments. In Game 2, Daigneault made some key moves. He went back to his two-big lineup with Isaiah Hartenstein off the bench early, which helped them dominate the rebounding battle after getting crushed on the glass in Game 1. And he unleashed Aaron Wiggins for 21 minutes, who came out of nowhere to drop 18 massive points. 

This just shows that they are deeper than the Pacers, and if Daigneault keeps pushing the right buttons and guys like Caruso and Wiggins keep stepping up, that could be the ultimate difference-maker in a long, grueling Finals series. That Game 2 performance? That’s the championship formula. Now they just have to replicate it three more times.