Pacers 111, Thunder 110
Q. I think Indiana scored 12 points in the final two and a half minutes. Defensively, for a team that performed so well in the first half, what did you see that you didn't do well?
JALEN WILLIAMS: Our offense was really slow, I think. We kind of let that dictate how we played on defense.
Obviously when you're down by what they are, they're going to go fast. You kind of got to -- for right now, we got to have film, look at what happened during that time. But right now it's got to tip your hat. They made some really big shots down the stretch. Just were playing with, like, the hunger of being down.
It was kind of like we were trying to play like we were trying to keep the lead instead of trying to extend it, keep being aggressive.
Q. After such a quick turnaround like that, reversal of fortune, how do you avoid shell-shock, being able to go from that high to that low?
JALEN WILLIAMS: Well, it sucks, but we have been here before. Obviously like the Denver series. Honestly, around the same thing, to be totally honest.
We'll get back to 0-0, look at what we can do to be better. It's first to four. Regardless, if it's the Finals or round one, round two, you still have to win four games. We'll take that and be ready for Game 2.
Q. Regarding Denver, what are some of the shortcomings you can relate to in this game, especially late in the fourth quarter?
JALEN WILLIAMS: Had a couple defensive breakdowns that cost us, a couple offensive rebounds that cost us, just little stuff down the stretch.
I think we had a good offensive process. We got some good shots towards the end. When shots aren't falling, you can't have defensive breakdowns like we did.
Q. For as many turnovers as you had, you only had 11 points off those turnovers. How do you turn that into more points? Was that an off shooting night?
JALEN WILLIAMS: No, I think you got to look at what kind turnovers we're getting, too. Sometimes you get a turnover in the backcourt, sometimes like the defense is behind you now, so you try and obviously space out, run something.
We'll look at it, though. Like I said, the goal of our defense is not really to, like, get steals, it's a by-product of how solid we are on defense and how well we're communicating and playing defense.
I mean, just like steals are part of the game. Obviously, you want to convert more of them, at the same time you have to understand what kind of steals we're getting, like how they're coming.
Q. I'm sure you've watched a lot of those Pacers comebacks earlier. What was it like to be on the other end of it?
JALEN WILLIAMS: I mean, it sucks. I don't know.
Q. They had six guys in double figures. How hard is it to guard a team like this that you can't focus on one primary scorer?
JALEN WILLIAMS: That's what makes them good. I think that's what makes us good, as well. Like I was saying earlier, just throughout the week we're very similar in how we play. They understand that it's five people out on the floor, and you're definitely a more dangerous team when everybody is involved. They do a good job of moving the ball, playing with a pace.
Which is why the loss sucks so much because we had control of the game as much as we did and let it go away a little bit towards the end.
Q. On the missed shots, did they come out of your hand good? Did you feel good about some of the ones that you'd love to have back?
JALEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, for sure. As a basketball player, even if you probably ask anybody in Indiana, they're going to have shots that they thought went in or felt good. That's just the nature of the game. I think a lot of it is just continuing to have a good process of how you get the shots. I repped a lot of the shots that I shot tonight over and over and over again consistently throughout my career, this year, the Playoffs.
All you can do is shoot them and not get scared to shoot them. I think that's the biggest thing. Going into every game confident in my work and go from there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports