The Oklahoma City Thunder are facing mounting pressure in the NBA Finals after a 116-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 on Wednesday night dropped them into a 2-1 series deficit. While the team has previously bounced back from adversity this postseason, prominent sports commentator Bill Simmons raised concerns about what a potential Finals loss would mean for one of the most statistically dominant teams in league history.
On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, recorded after Game 3 with guest Zach Lowe, Simmons addressed the possibility of the Thunder falling short after a historic regular season.
“If they don’t win the title this would be an absolute historic basketball calamity because they had one of the greatest seasons of all time,” Simmons said. “Start to finish, I’m not saying they’re one of the greatest teams of all time, but they had one of the seven, eight, nine, ten — whatever list you want to do. From net ratings, to actual record, to dominance, to 15-20 point wins. It was one of the best seasons anyone’s ever had. And to then go to the Finals and lose, you’re in rare ground.”
Simmons compared such an outcome to the 2016 Golden State Warriors, who went 73-9 in the regular season but lost in the Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers after leading the series 3-1.
“You’re in 2016 Warriors… Draymond punching LeBron in the balls, Steph playing on an injured ankle, and Festus Ezeli being trapped on an island against LeBron for two straight threes and all of the sudden we’ve lost. What the hell happened.”
Thunder’s historic season at risk as Pacers take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals
The Thunder concluded the regular season with a franchise-record 68 wins and the highest net rating in NBA history at +12.9. In the postseason, they swept the Memphis Grizzlies, survived a seven-game battle with the Denver Nuggets, and eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to reach the Finals for the first time since 2012.
Despite their resume, Oklahoma City struggled to contain Indiana in Game 3. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 26 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a steal on 9-of-18 shooting. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 league MVP, added 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocks on 9-of-20 shooting. Chet Holmgren posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, along with two assists and a steal.
Simmons added that situations like this are uncommon in the NBA.
“This does not happen a lot in basketball. Usually the right team, usually the better team, usually the team that has the best season wins the title. But then occasionally that’s not what happens. And this is one of those times.”
Oklahoma City will look to avoid falling into a 3-1 deficit when they face the Pacers in Game 4 on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The series will return to Oklahoma City for Game 5 on Monday.
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