Pacers Shine in Front of Home Crowd, Outclass Thunder in Game 3
Finally, proper NBA Finals basketball came back to Indiana after a 25-year drought, and Pacers fans made sure the Thunder felt it. The Fieldhouse buzzed from tip-off as Indiana pounced on Oklahoma City, sprinting out to an aggressive 26-9 lead in the first quarter. This wasn’t just any scoring run—it set the tone for the night. Even as the Thunder clawed back, it felt like the Pacers were always a step ahead.
The night belonged to Bennedict Mathurin. Coming off the bench, he poured in 27 points, hitting 9 of his 12 shots, including a pair of threes. Whenever the Thunder chipped away, Mathurin found a gap, drove hard, or knocked down a jumper. He also tossed in four rebounds and two assists, making life tough for OKC’s second unit. Off the bench, he was everything Indiana needed and then some.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle kept his rotations tight and leaned heavily on his energetic bench. T.J. McConnell cleaned up on the boards with seven rebounds and filled in the gaps wherever Indiana needed hustle. Myles Turner brought the muscle inside, turning Thunder drives into awkward floaters or panicked kick-outs.
Thunder Struggle to Break Through Indiana’s Defense
Jalen Williams was the lone bright spot for Oklahoma City, tallying 26 points and staying aggressive. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP candidate all season, was hounded hard—sometimes double-teamed, sometimes funneled by a help defender. Even so, SGA gnashed his way to 20 points but needed 18 shots to get there. It was clear Indiana had built their defensive strategy around keeping him off balance.
The Thunder made their best push late in the third quarter. SGA knocked down a confident three, Williams sliced the defense with a pair of floaters, and for a few minutes, the game teetered with the Thunder lurking. Still, each time Oklahoma City threatened, Indiana answered. Haliburton—a quiet but steady leader—nailed down possessions with smart decisions and a couple of key defensive plays to shut off the Thunder’s path inside.
What’s really hurting the Thunder isn’t just the Pacers starters. Indiana’s bench was responsible for a huge chunk of the night’s scoring, outpacing their counterparts by a wide margin. Every time OKC tried to catch their breath, Mathurin and McConnell just pushed down harder on the gas. In a series where momentum swings in seconds, those bench points feel even bigger.
With Indiana up 2-1, the Thunder are staring down a critical Game 4. SGA and Williams have shown they can get buckets, but it’ll take a shift in game plan to crack Indiana’s rugged defense and keep up with the relentless Pacers’ bench. Game 4’s vibe feels less like a Finals formality—and more like survival mode for Oklahoma City.
- Jun, 12 2025
- Cassius Montgomery
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