NBA Finals: OKC vs Pacers Game 2 takes first hit from tornado warning in Oklahoma - Here's what's happening

NBA Finals: Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers was affected by a tornado warning

Updated on: Jun 9, 2025, 05:33:25 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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NBA Finals: Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers was affected by a tornado warning affecting the Paycom Center area on Sunday. The game wasn't canceled, but the ABC and ESPN broadcast was shifted to remote locations, meaning broadcasters will not be at the venue for the big game.

Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals Game 2 took a hit from a tornado warning (Getty Images via AFP)

ESPN/ABC were forced to produce the broadcast remotely, according to the Athletic's Andrew Marchand. He said that Mike Breen and company will still be at the courtside.

“ESPN/ABC may have to produce Game 2 of the NBA Finals remotely because of a tornado warning in OKC. Mike Breen & company will still be commenting from the court side, but the production trucks outside the arena may not be available. ESPN would control the pictures and productions from either Bristol or LA,” Marchang posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

Tornado Warning Details

On Sunday, forecasters issued a tornado warning for Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, with severe thunderstorms, large hail, and possible embedded tornadoes. The warning, active during game preparations, followed a similar event on June 3 that diverted the Pacers’ flight to Tulsa.

Paycom Center implemented safety protocols, directing fans to shelters if needed. No reports indicate player evacuations at the moment.

Oklahoma City vs Indiana Pacers

Oklahoma City will look to avenge the close loss in Game 1 vs the Indiana Pacers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is on the brink to reach the 3000-point mark this season, would like to get his first finals win.

“I said this so many times, I don’t play for the individual stuff,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I don’t play for anything else besides winning. I never have in my whole life.”

The Thunder, the NBA's top overall seed entering the playoffs after going 68-14 in the regular season, lost Game 1 to the Pacers on Thursday night 111-110.

If the Pacers win Game 2, they'll likely become overwhelming favorites. The series will shift to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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