Game 1 of the NBA Finals could have been an especially crushing defeat for a young Oklahoma City Thunder team had they not dealt with nearly the exact same scenario earlier in these same playoffs

IndyStar's Zach Osterman and The Oklahoman's Justin Martinez break down the Indiana Pacers' Game 1 win to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Sam Anderson, a staff writer for The Times Magazine, first wrote about the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012. He is the author of “Boom Town” (2018), a book about the team and the city it calls home.