The Indiana Pacers delivered under pressure once again, rallying in the fourth quarter to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana now leads the best-of-seven series 2-1, extending its streak to 10 consecutive wins following a loss dating back to mid-March.
Bennedict Mathurin led all scorers with 27 points off the bench on 9-of-12 shooting. The Pacers’ second unit outscored the Thunder’s reserves 49-18, playing a pivotal role in the victory.
Tyrese Haliburton added 22 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds, while Pascal Siakam chipped in 21 points. Indiana shot 51.8% from the field and went 19-for-22 from the free throw line.
Oklahoma City led by five entering the final period but was outscored 32-18 in the fourth quarter. The Thunder shot just 35% in the closing 12 minutes and committed key turnovers that shifted momentum.
Jalen Williams paced the Western Conference champions with 26 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24, and Chet Holmgren contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Indiana’s late surge.
Game 3 was tightly contested throughout, featuring 15 ties—more than in the entire 2023 Finals series between Boston and Dallas.
T.J. McConnell finished with 10 points, five assists, and five steals for Indiana. According to NBA records, no other bench player had ever recorded that stat line in an NBA Finals game.
The Thunder had been nearly automatic when leading after three quarters during the regular season, going 61-2. In this series alone, they are now 1-2 in such situations.
The Pacers, playing in their first home Finals game since 2000, rose to the occasion in front of a packed crowd that included legends such as Reggie Miller and Oscar Robertson, and WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
Historical precedent is now in Indiana’s favor. Teams that won Game 3 after a 1-1 Finals split have gone on to win the title 33 out of 41 times, an 80.5% success rate.
Game 4 is scheduled for Friday night in Indianapolis.
