What we learned from Game 2

The Pacers haven't solved anything

Tyrese Haliburton has played in seven NBA playoff series over his career. Two games into this one, he has never averaged fewer points or assists. What was 21 points and 11 assists in the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks has shrunk to 15.5 points and 6 assists against the Thunder. That has a lot to do with a player who went undrafted in 2019. WILLIAM PURNELL/GETTY IMAGES

Lu Dort is a problem for Tyrese Haliburton

It's very obvious that the game is played differently now. There's so much more contact. They're not letting you grab and hold and push with your hands, but you can do a lot with your body, and it's just the way the game is being played now.

So if you're a skinny dude, you better be hitting the weights. If you're in the draft, be ready. Every team, right now, needs more players like Lu Dort. Ask Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese is really struggling with Lu Dort.

Dort is not gonna win the Finals MVP. If the series ended now, he'd finish second, Alex Caruso probably third. But Dort versus Tyrese has been a big win for OKC. So far, Tyrese has had only a couple of strong moments, mostly at the ends of both games, heroic in Game 1 and after Game 2 was decided.

The Pacers have not solved that issue.

But there are things they can do, as we’ll discuss.