Pacers Surge Past Thunder in 4th Quarter, Take 2-1 Lead in NBA Finals

By AP — June 12, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers have made a habit of bouncing back after losses. And on Wednesday night, in front of a roaring home crowd and a star-studded audience, they did it again — this time on the biggest stage.

Behind a huge fourth-quarter rally, the Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116–107 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals to take a 2–1 lead in the series.

“This is the kind of team that we are,” said head coach Rick Carlisle. “It’s not always going to be the same guys carrying us — we need everyone ready.”

And everyone was ready.

Bench Comes Up Big

Indiana’s bench was the difference-maker, outscoring Oklahoma City’s reserves 49–18 — a staggering margin in a Finals matchup.

Bennedict Mathurin led the way with 27 points off the bench, while TJ McConnell delivered a stat line for the record books: 10 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals — a first for any reserve in NBA Finals history.

“Our bench was amazing,” said Tyrese Haliburton, who nearly posted a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds. “We just had guys make plays after plays.”

Pascal Siakam added 21 points for Indiana, which improved to 10–0 in games following a loss since mid-March — a streak that now includes this crucial Finals victory after dropping Game 2 in Oklahoma City.

Pacers Close Strong, Thunder Fade Late

The Thunder held a 5-point lead heading into the fourth quarter — a position they’ve dominated all season, going 61–2 in such scenarios during the regular season. But Indiana flipped the script.

Fueled by defensive intensity and timely shot-making, the Pacers outscored Oklahoma City 32–18 in the final 12 minutes. The Thunder shot just 35% in the fourth and couldn’t keep pace with Indiana’s energy.

“We had a lot of good stretches,” admitted Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “But they had more good stretches than we did.”

Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 26 points, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 24 and Chet Holmgren with 20. Despite their efforts, the team faltered when it mattered most.

“There’s a lot of areas we can clean up,” Holmgren said. “Everybody who stepped out there can be better.”

Home-Court History and Celeb Power

Wednesday marked Indiana’s first NBA Finals home game in 25 years — and the city showed up. Legends like Reggie Miller and Oscar Robertson were in attendance, along with WNBA phenom Caitlin Clark, adding to the electric atmosphere at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

And the stakes couldn’t be clearer.

Historically, the winner of Game 3 in a tied Finals series has gone on to win the title 80.5% of the time (33 out of 41 times). If that trend holds, the Pacers are now in the driver’s seat.

“It was back-and-forth all night,” Haliburton said. And he’s not wrong — the game featured 15 ties, more than the entire 2024 Finals between Boston and Dallas.

What’s Next

Game 4 tips off Friday night, again in Indiana. With momentum on their side and a city behind them, the Pacers have a golden opportunity to push the Thunder to the brink.