Pacers Turn Up the Heat in Game 3 to Seize NBA Finals Control
If you thought the Indiana Pacers were just happy to be here, think again. Not only have they crashed their first NBA Finals in a quarter-century, but they’re acting like they own the place. Their 116-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 has them up 2-1 in the series, and suddenly the spotlight isn’t just on the Thunder’s young stars—it’s shifting straight to Indy’s bench.
The real headline? Bennedict Mathurin, usually coming off the bench, looked like a Finals MVP in the making. He poured in 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting, shaking off the OKC defense like they were garden-variety regular-season competition, not the Western champs. Every time the Thunder tried to make a run, there was Mathurin curling off a screen and dropping another dagger. This wasn’t just good; it felt unstoppable, and it kept Gainbridge Fieldhouse on its feet all night.
Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ floor general, didn’t just play second fiddle. His control in the clutch made sure Indiana never lost its grip. Whenever the Thunder inched close, Haliburton calmly orchestrated the offense, either creating shots for teammates or hitting his own. He’s proving why he's become Indiana’s engine—and the leader every successful Finals team leans on.
Thunder’s Youth Pressured by Pacers’ Depth
On the other side, the Thunder got another big game from Jalen Williams, who put up 26 points and kept the visitors within striking distance. But OKC’s issue wasn’t scoring—it was stopping Indiana. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, usually a magician with the ball, looked ground down by the Pacers’ relentless attention. Every time he turned a corner, he ran straight into fresh bodies—tough, physical, ready to swipe or block or simply force him to give the ball up.
The real story for OKC was on defense, or rather, the lack of answers there. Throughout the night, Indiana’s offense hummed, whether it was a pick-and-pop with Myles Turner, a transition three from Aaron Nesmith, or Mathurin barreling through traffic. Oklahoma City tried everything—switches, traps, even junk defenses—nothing stuck. When a team shoots nearly 55% from the field in the Finals, it’s not just hot shooting; it’s NBA Finals-level execution, and right now, Indiana’s looking a step ahead on the tactical board.
Of course, the atmosphere helped. You could feel the city’s energy in the arena—you might even say, after 25 years, the ghosts of Pacers past were somewhere in the rafters, urging them forward. Fans rocked Gainbridge Fieldhouse with every Indiana run, making life even tougher for the youngest team in Finals history.
For Oklahoma City, there’s no panic—but with the Pacers now holding the edge and the series staying in Indiana for Game 4, the pressure’s rising. They’ll need more than just individual heroics if they want to avoid a must-win situation when they go back home. The 2025 NBA Finals just got all the intrigue, and it’s Indiana holding the cards.