Pacers fail to sweep Games 1 and 2 in a series for the first time in these playoffs

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — For the Indiana Pacers, a chance at being perfect in Games 1 and 2 of these playoffs went awry.

They’ll have to settle for a mere split of the opening two games in the NBA Finals instead.

The Pacers’ bid to become the fifth team in NBA history to go 8-0 to open the four playoff rounds — sweeping Games 1 and 2 in all four series — was stopped on Sunday night by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder took control early and won Game 2 123-107, tying the championship matchup at a game apiece.

“Any time you’re the lower seed in a playoff series, you know your job is to go split or go try to get one on the road," Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. "We got Game 1, you know, but it felt like we really let the rope slip there in the second quarter.”

That they did: A 19-2 run in that second quarter put the Thunder in control — and the final margin was 16.

The Pacers were trying to join the 1986 Boston Celtics, 1987 Los Angeles Lakers, 1996 Chicago Bulls and 2017 Golden State Warriors as teams that won Games 1 and 2 in all four rounds of a single postseason. All four went on to win the NBA title.

Those teams all did it with home-court advantage in every one of those series. The Pacers haven’t had home court since Round 1 — taking the first two of that series against Milwaukee, then winning the first two of Round 2 at Cleveland, the first two of the Eastern Conference final at New York, and Game 1 of the finals in Oklahoma City.

So, in the end, the Pacers have to settle for going 7-1, tying for the fifth-best record in Games 1 and 2 in a single postseason. They also became the third team to win five of those games on the road in a playoff run.

“I think you want to win every game you play,” Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. “So, we are not happy with how the game went today, and that’s it.”

Houston went 5-3 in Games 1 and 2 on the road on its way to the title in 1995 and Miami went 5-3 in road games over the first two games of series in 2023 on its way to the NBA Finals. (The Heat were 6-2 in “road” games in Games 1 and 2 of their series in the 2020 bubble playoffs as well, but those games were all in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.)

“I’m not interested in talking about the past,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “Each day, as you are on a playoff run, is like a new day. I find that looking back is a dangerous thing. We’ve got to keep our eye firmly where it needs to be.”

If the Pacers had won Sunday, they likely would have been overwhelming favorites heading home with a 2-0 lead. Only two teams — the 1993 Chicago Bulls and 1995 Houston Rockets — won the first two games of a finals on the road, and both went on to win the NBA title in those seasons. And teams that open the finals with a 2-0 lead go on to win the series 86.5% of the time (32 times in 37 chances).

“Keep our heads. We know where we’re at,” Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith said. “We know what we’ve got to do better and just execute our game plan better.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle stands on the sidelines during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) collides with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) and guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool manager Arne Slot insisted there were no outstanding issues between him and Mohamed Salah after recalling the club great to the team for the 2-0 win over Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.

Salah received a rapturous welcome from Liverpool fans after coming on as a first-half substitute and they chanted his name during and after the game at Anfield — including after he set up Hugo Ekitike for the second goal.

In an explosive outburst last weekend, Salah told reporters his relationship with Slot had broken down after being dropped for three straight games and that he felt like “someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

He was then left at home when Liverpool traveled to Inter Milan for a Champions League match on Tuesday, with Slot saying he did not know if Salah would play again for the club.

However, a few days later, Salah was back in the squad for the Brighton game after he held conversations with Slot on Friday.

“For me there is no issue to resolve. He is now the same as any other player,” Slot said after the game. “I usually never say anything about what we talk about, I am not going to make an exception now. But I think actions speak louder than what has been said and he was in the squad again.

“When I had to make my first substitution, I brought him in and he performed as every fan including me would like him to today. The moment he is there I like to use him when we need him. When he came in, he had the performance like you would want him to to give.”

After the final whistle, Salah applauded all four sides of Anfield — like some of his other teammates. Salah lingered in front of The Kop stand as fans chanted his name and patted the club crest on his jersey before leaving the pitch and heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.

Slot did not think that was a farewell gesture by Salah.

“He wasn’t the only player who walked around the pitch, thanking the fans because the fans deserved a thank you from us," Slot said. “Mo is going to go to AFCON. I hope he is going to do very well. And in the meantime, we have to play here without him, without many players."

Salah was an unused substitute for the 3-3 draw with Leeds last Saturday, after which he opened up on his frustrations. Before that, he'd been an unused sub in a win at West Ham and came on at halftime of a home draw against Sunderland.

Salah is Liverpool's biggest star and also the club’s record scorer in the Premier League. He has four league goals in 14 appearances this season.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre, challenges for the ball with Brighton's Carlos Baleba, left, during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre, during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, centre, warms up prior to the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah warms up prior to the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot applauds at the end of a Champions League, league phase, soccer match between Inter Milan and Liverpool in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Dec.9, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah smiles as he takes part in a training session in Liverpool, England, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)