The Indiana Pacers knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 and lead the NBA Finals 2-1. After losing Game 2 in OKC, Indiana bounced back and won a pivotal game at home. With the Pacers grasping the lead last night, things just got interesting for the Thunder. Let’s jump straight into last night’s game!
Thunder’s Hot Start
Despite heading into this game with question marks surrounding their ability to play on the road, OKC looked sharp in the 1st quarter, taking an early nine-point lead. Chet Holmgren would score 13 of his 20 points on the night in the first eight minutes he played. Following a lackluster Game 1 performance, he has picked up his play in the succeeding two games.
Jalen Williams had his best performance of the Finals with 26 points on 9/18 shooting, including 1/2 from downtown. The two “hot” role players, Alex Caruso and Lu Dort, combined for 20 points. When you get those two players combining for 6/7 shooting from three-point range, that is an excellent recipe for victory. One key to the loss was this team’s biggest strength, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Despite a solid statistical performance, with 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, he was dreadful when his team needed it most. When the MVP checked back into the game in the fourth quarter, the Thunder were leading the Pacers 93-91. From that point on, OKC was outscored 25-14. SGA would shoot 1/3 from the field in the 4th quarter and 1/2 from the free throw line to score three points in a very winnable game. For as dominant as he has been this season, he was miniscule when the Thunder needed him the most.
Pacers’ Second Unit
After trailing the Thunder 32-24 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Pacers won the 2nd quarter 40-28 and took a four-point lead going into halftime. As mentioned in the Game 3 Preview, TJ McConnell was the X-Factor during last night’s game. In that second quarter, he scored six points, dished out four assists, and recorded three steals. He is the definition of whatever the team needs him to do; he is perfect for the role. Notably, three of his five steals on the night were on baseline inbound passes after made baskets.
Another key player off the bench last night was Bennedict Mathurin. Mathurin would go on to score the most points off the bench in the Finals since 2011, 27, which led all scorers. Having been the team’s third-leading scorer during the regular season, he had received inconsistent playing time in these playoffs. He’s been awesome in this series.
The dynamic duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam were exceptional, both scoring 20+ for the first time this series. Going into last night, no Pacer player scored more than 20 in the first two games. In Game 3, the Pacers had three players score 20 points. Haliburton finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists. When he is aggressive, he has the talent to be a transcendent player.
Three W’s for the Thunder?
What Went Wrong for the Thunder? Last night was only the third instance where they lost the turnover battle in a game this postseason. OKC committed 17 turnovers, forcing the Pacers into only 13. Those 17 turnovers led to 21 points for Indy. OKC was the best team all season at forcing turnovers and not turning the ball over. If they want to bounce back, they must do a better job at ball security in Game 4.
For a team whose strength has been its depth, the Pacers’ bench demolished the Thunder’ unit last night. Indy’s reserves outscored OKC’s 49-18. That is unacceptable for a team that has had the most well-put-together roster all season long. I don’t expect either bench unit to dominate the other as they did last night. A +31 discrepancy is interesting, considering how lopsided we thought the talent on each roster was.
Final Thoughts
These NBA Finals have been great through the first three games, with miraculous comebacks and masterful performances. The atmosphere at both home courts has been electric. You can feel the home crowds through your TV when watching the games. With the Thunder down 2-1 in the series, Game 4 on Friday night becomes as close to a “must-win game” as possible. Will OKC bounce back and make the series a best-of-three, or will the Pacers take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Finals?
