The Indiana Pacers turned the tide with a 40-point second-quarter explosion and came up with big plays in the fourth to secure a 116–107 victory and a 2–1 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals on June 12.
Oklahoma City Thunder Top Performers:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 24 PTS | 8 REB | 3 BLK | 42.6 FPS
SGA slowed down today after putting up at least 34 points in his last four games. He still had a strong offensive performance but the Pacers did a really good job limiting him to just 5 points in the free-throw line, forcing him to 6 turnovers–his most in this playoffs and holding him to just 3 points in the fourth quarter. Despite that, he continues to record excellent numbers in the peripheral categories while also racking up at least 3 stocks per game this series. A different scoring performance can also be expected in a crucial Game 4.
Chet Holmgren 20 PTS | 10 REB | 1 STL | 37.0 FPS
Holmgren opened the game with another strong start, scoring 13 points in the first quarter alone. However, his shooting struggles continued, going 0-for-6 from three-point range and has made just one three-pointer in three games this series. Despite that, he was more active in the interior, recording a double-digit rebounding performance—his first in the last seven games.
Jalen Williams 26 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 36.7 FPS
JDub had trouble finding his rhythm in this series but he came through today, scoring 9 points in the third and finishing with his seventh game this playoffs with at least 24 points. However, efficiency remained an issue—he committed four turnovers and went just 7-for-11 from the line, including missing crucial freethrows in the fourth quarter.
Alex Caruso 8 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST| 25.0 FPS
Caruso has been a steady contributor in this series, while also continuing to play an important role on defense. However the team will need more from him to steal a win in Game 4.
Lu Dort 12 PTS | 4 3PM | 4 REB | 16.8 FPS
Dort has emerged as a solid perimeter threat, knocking down a total of 10 three-pointers in the series. His defense and three-point shooting will be crucial for them to even the series in Game 4.
Indiana Pacers Top Performers:
Tyrese Haliburton 22 PTS | 9 REB | 11 AST | 54.3 FPS
Haliburton has been dealing with a leg issue since Game 2 but played through it. After starting out slow in the first two games of the series, he responded strong today, recording 12 points and 7 assists in the first half. He carried that momentum into the third quarter, adding 7 more points and delivering key plays in the fourth. He finished with his ninth 20-point game and tenth 10-assist game of the playoffs. While Haliburton has been an excellent contributor throughout the postseason, consistency remains the only downside.
Pascal Siakam 21 PTS | 6 REB | 4 AST | 43.2 FPS
Siakam has been a highly dependable asset throughout the playoffs, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. He had a rough performance in Game 2 but bounced back today with his best scoring game of the series. That said, the team will need a similar effort from him in Game 4 to secure another win.
Benedict Mathurin 27 PTS | 4 REB | 1 BLK | 35.3 FPS
Mathurin provided a solid offensive boost in Game 2 and took it a step further today, scoring 14 points in just six minutes in the second quarter and taking over in the fourth with 10 points. He finished with a highly efficient 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. He’s also had similar performances against both the Knicks and the Cavs this playoffs and he’s likely to do it at least one more time moving forward.
TJ McConnell 10 PTS | 5 AST | 5 STL | 31.7 FPS
McConnell was the difference-maker, fueling the second quarter turnaround with his defense and playmaking. While he’s been consistent in this series, matching this level of impact in Game 4 will be difficult.
Myles Turner 9 PTS | 1 STL | 5 BLK | 28.9 FPS
Turner was dealing with an illness but played through it. While he struggled on offense finishing with his lowest scoring game of the series, he more than made up for it on defense, delivering big plays in the fourth quarter. Turner is second in the league in blocks per game in the playoffs and now holds the franchise record for most blocks in the postseason.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Andrew Nembhard 8 PTS | 4 REB | 1 AST
Nembhard had a quiet performance, finishing with his lowest scoring output in this series and only 1 assist after averaging 5 in the first two games. While he’s not been very productive on the scoreboard lately, he remains an important contributor with his defense.
