OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — This has been Oklahoma City’s formula all season: Lose one game, respond in the next.
That’s exactly what the Thunder did in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
kAm$92: v:=86@FD\p=6I2?56C D4@C65 bc A@:?ED[ p=6I r2CFD@ 25565 a_ @77 E96 36?49 2?5 E96 %9F?56C 362E E96 x?5:2?2 !246CD `ab\`_f @? $F?52J ?:89E E@ E:6 E96D6 7:?2=D 2E @?6 82>6 2A:646]k^Am
kAmy2=6? (:==:2>D D4@C65 `h[ p2C@? (:88:?D 925 `g 2?5 r96E w@=>8C6? 7:?:D965 H:E9 `d 7@C E96 %9F?56C] xE H2D E96 7C2?49:D6’D 7:CDE 7:?2=D 82>6 H:? D:?46 E96 @A6?6C @7 E96 a_`a D6C:6D 282:?DE |:2>:]k^Am
kAm“(6 5:5 D@>6 E9:?8D 8@@5 E@?:89E] (6 5:5 D@>6 E9:?8D 325[” v:=86@FD\p=6I2?56C D2:5] “(6’G6 8@E E@ 36 23=6 E@ 86E 36EE6C 2?5 36 C625J 7@C v2>6 b]”k^Am
kAm%JC6D6 w2=:3FCE@? D4@C65 `f 7@C x?5:2?2[ H9:49 6C2D65 2 `d\A@:?E[ 7@FCE9\BF2CE6C 567:4:E 😕 v2>6 ` 3FE ?6G6C >256 2 AFD9 @? $F?52J] |J=6D %FC?6C D4@C65 `e 2?5 !2D42= $:2<2> 25565 `d 7@C E96 !246CD[ E96 7:CDE E62> D:?46 |:2>: 😕 a_`b E@ ?@E 92G6 2 a_\A@:?E D4@C6C 😕 E96 7:CDE EH@ 82>6D @7 E96 7:?2=D]k^Am
kAmv2>6 b 😀 (65?6D52J 2E x?5:2?2A@=:D[ 😕 H92E H:== 36 E96 7:CDE 7:?2=D 82>6 😕 E92E 4:EJ 😕 ad J62CD]k^Am
kAm“p 325 7:CDE 92=7[ @3G:@FD=J[ H2D 2 3:8 AC@3=6>[Q !246CD 4@249 #:4< r2C=:D=6 D2:5] “p?5 H6 ;FDE A=2J65 A@@C=J] p =:EE=6 36EE6C 😕 E96 D64@?5 92=7] qFE J@F 42?’E 36 2 E62> E92E’D C624E:G6 2?5 6IA64E E@ 36 DF446DD7F= @C 92G6 4@?D:DE6?4J]”k^Am
kAmv:=86@FD\p=6I2?56CVD 7:CDE 32D<6E @7 E96 ?:89E H2D 2 9:DE@CJ\>2<6Ci xE 82G6 9:> b[___ A@:?ED @? E96 D62D@?[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 C68F=2C D62D@? 2?5 A=2J@77D] p?5 =2E6C 😕 v2>6 a[ 96 A2DD65 }6H *@C
Story continues below video
kAmqFE E96 C62= >:=6DE@?6 7@C E96 |’! 42>6 2 4@FA=6 9@FCD =2E6C[ H96? 96 2?5 >@DE 6G6CJ3@5J 6=D6 @? E96 %9F?56C 8@E 2 7:?2=D H:? 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6]k^Am
kAmp `h\a CF? 😕 E96 D64@?5 BF2CE6C EFC?65 H92E H2D 2 D:I\A@:?E 82>6 :?E@ 2 ab\A@:?E %9F?56C =625] xE >:89E 92G6 D66>65 H@33=J 2 4@FA=6 @7 E:>6D — 2? :>>65:2E6 `_\_ C63FEE2= 3J E96 !246CD >256 :E da\bh[ 2?5 x?5:2?2 H2D H:E9:? `b 282:? 27E6C p?5C6H }6>392C5VD =2JFA H:E9 fi_h =67E 😕 E96 E9:C5 — 3FE E96 %9F?56C =625 H2D ?6G6C 😕 D6C:@FD 5@F3E]k^Am
kAm“%96J 5:5 2 8@@5 ;@3 36:?8 5:DCFAE:G6[” $:2<2> D2:5] “%96J 8@E @FE 😕 EC2?D:E:@?] ]]] %96J H6C6 DFA6C 288C6DD:G6[ H9:49 😀 H92E E96J 5@]Qk^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 ?@:D6 =6G6= 😕 E96 3F:=5:?8 @7E6? E@AA:?8 `__ 564:36=D — 2 492:? D2H 😀 “_ 5q[ 7@C 4@>A2C:D@? AFCA@D6D — E96 %9F?56C 5:5 H92E E96J’G6 5@?6 AC6EEJ >F49 2== D62D@?] %96J 42>6 @77 2 =@DD[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?32\7:?2=D\a_ad\E9F?56C\A246CD\ghee2b_b3`_dh3c6“3b3`fg5462_defQmE9:D E:>6 2 “`\“_ 56762E 😕 v2>6 `[k^2m 2?5 3=6H D@>63@5J @FE 2D E96:C C6DA@?D6]k^Am
kAmx?4=F5:?8 E96 }qp rFA E:E=6 82>6[ H9:49 5@6D?VE 4@F?E 😕 2?J DE2?5:?8D[ E96 %9F?56C 2C6 ?@H `g\a E9:D D62D@? H96? 4@>:?8 @77 2 =@DD] ~7 E9@D6 `g H:?D[ `a 92G6 366? 3J 5@F3=6 5:8:ED]k^Am
kAm“%92EVD 2 =@?8 cg 9@FCD H96? J@F =@D6 v2>6 ` =:<6 E92E[ 4@>:?8 :?E@ v2>6 a[” %9F?56C 4@249 |2C< s2:8?62F=E D2:5] “%96 8FJD 5:5 2 8C62E ;@3 @7 ;FDE 7@4FD:?8 @? H92E H6 ?66565 E@ 5@ E@ DE24< E@ 2 H:? E@?:89E] %92EVD 9@H H6 8@E :E]”k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}qpQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}qpk^2mk^Am
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.