Thunder Coach Finally Ends Risky Moves! Reinstating Twin Towers Turns the Tide — Should've Done This

In Game 2 of the Finals, the Thunder routed the Pacers 123-107 at home, evening the series 1-1. Oklahoma City built an early lead in the second quarter and dominated thereafter, leaving many to wonder, "What took Mark Daigneault so long?" When Daigneault abandoned risky tactics and leaned into the twin towers, the Thunder's advantage was palpable.

Tactical U-Turn: From G1 Experiment to G2 Dominance

• Game 1's flawed game plan:
  The small-ball starting unit forced 9 first-quarter turnovers with elite mobility, and Hartenstein dominated Indiana's undersized second unit. Yet prioritizing pace over size exhausted OKC's players and weakened rebounding. When Daigneault went full small-ball in the fourth, the Thunder lost due to height disadvantages—conceding critical rebounds and wearing down defensively.
• Game 2's course correction:
  Daigneault kept the starting lineup but adjusted rotations, pairing Hartenstein with Holmgren. The twin towers stifled Indiana's paint scoring (0 first-quarter points) and unlocked Holmgren's offense—he attacked inside and drained jumpers, shaking off Game 1's slump.

Twin Towers' Proven Dominance

• Holmgren vs. Hartenstein (Game 2):

• Holmgren: 15 pts, 6 reb, 1 blk

• Hartenstein: 3 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl

• Team stats improvement:

• Offensive rebounds: 11 (vs. G1's collapse)

• Total rebounds: 43 (advantage vs. Pacers)

• Paint points: 42-34 (8-point edge)