The Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a season-low performance from beyond the arc and came up strong in the fourth quarter, securing a 111-104 win over the Indiana Pacers to tie the NBA Finals at 2-2 on June 14.
Indiana Pacers Top Performers:
Pascal Siakam 20 PTS | 8 REB | 5 STL | 54.1 FPS
Siakam took control right from the start, scoring 10 points and forcing 4 turnovers against the Thunder. He’s been their main offensive option in this series but has yet to put up a big scoring performance, averaging just 19 points in four games. Despite that, he stayed highly productive with his contribution in multiple areas, especially on the defensive end. But they’ll need a big offensive performance from him in Game 5 to swing the momentum back in their favor.
Obi Toppin 17 PTS | 7 REB | 1 BLK | 32.9 FPS
Toppin came up big on offense, drilling back-to-back threes in the third quarter to help push the team’s lead. He’s been very effective in Games 1 and 4, though he struggled to find his rhythm in Games 2 and 3. However, he’s also made a lot of impact in defense and with his consistent rebounding effort in the series.
Tyrese Haliburton 18 PTS | 7 AST | 2 STL | 31.9 FPS
Haliburton has been a dependable scoring option in this series, averaging close to 18 points per game while shooting 50% from the field—despite going just 1-for-7 from three today and making only three free throws so far in the series. He also continues to impact the game with his strong playmaking numbers. However, efficiency has been a concern, as he has tallied 13 assists but also committed 10 turnovers in their two losses.
Aaron Nesmith 8 PTS | 9 REB | 1 STL | 23.8 FPS
Nesmith may not always put up elite stat lines, but he finds ways to contribute. He’s been a dependable 3-and-D asset in this series, shooting 45% from deep while defending the other team’s best players. However, his aggressive defense has backfired–resulting in foul-outs in the last two games.
Andrew Nembhard 10 PTS | 2 AST | 2 STL | 20.4 FPS
Nembhard’s production has been modest in the Finals, averaging around 10 points per game. With most of his energy going into the defensive side, especially in slowing down SGA, his numbers may stay flat for the remainder of the series.
Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 35 PTS | 3 REB | 3 STL | 48.6 FPS
SGA had a tough time against Nembhard’s defense. He was held to just 4 points in the first quarter, was limited to only 2 free throws in the first three quarters, and also recorded no assists—for the first time this postseason. But he came through in the most important time, dropping 15 big points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line in the fourth quarter to carry his squad to the win. He’s been an exceptional two-way performer, delivering his third game in the series with at least 34 points and his fourth straight with at least 3 stocks.
Alex Caruso 20 PTS | 3 REB | 5 STL | 39.6 FPS
Caruso hadn’t recorded a 20-point game all season, but he stepped up when it mattered most. He was highly efficient in the first and third quarters, keeping his team in the game and finishing with another 20-point performance in the Finals. Defensively, he was just as impactful, tallying 4+ stocks for the sixth time in the playoffs. He’s the only bench player in NBA history to reach those numbers in the Finals.
Chet Holmgren 14 PTS | 15 REB | 1 BLK | 38.5 FPS
Holmgren continues to struggle on the offensive side but stayed productive by going 14-for-15 from the line in the last two games. He’s also been a better rebounder with two straight double-digit rebounding performances. That said, his inside presence will continue to be crucial if they want to go ahead in this series in Game 5.
Jalen Williams 27 PTS | 7 REB | 3 AST | 35.9 FPS
JDub got off to a slow start in the series, but he’s completely flipped the script on the road. He came out firing with 12 points in the first quarter and stayed aggressive, finishing 8-for-8 from the line in the first half. He closed the game with his second consecutive performance of 26+ points and 6+ rebounds.
Isaiah Hartenstein 2 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 12.7 FPS
Hartenstein started today and put up decent numbers in the secondary stats despite limited playing time. However, this hasn’t been a favorable matchup for him, and his impact is unlikely to grow much in this series.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Myles Turner 12 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST
Turner has struggled badly on offense at home, shooting no better than 30% in his last two games and converting just one of ten three-point attempts. Defensively, he hasn’t been much better, with his rebounding numbers sliding and two games without a single defensive stat in the last three games.
