The intense Thunder vs Pacers showdown continues as Indiana has taken a 2-1 series lead after a gritty victory in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The change of scenery may have played a huge role in that result. For starters, this isn’t a blowout. In fact, it was a close game of sorts, and the series seems to be heading for that narrative.
Indiana fans were glad to see a deserved victory, especially after hosting their first NBA Finals game since 2000. The crowd was loud as it should be, and the fact that they were standing for the whole fourth quarter was just impressive. After all, you don’t always get a chance to be in the NBA Finals, and they made the most of it. The Pacers played off the crowd well, and they paid them back with a win.
THE PACERS WIN THE FIRST FINALS GAME IN INDY IN 25 YEARS π¨π¨
THEY TAKE A 2-1 SERIES LEAD!! pic.twitter.com/1kV5TuzNKl
— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025
Thunder vs Pacers: Five Takeaways from NBA Finals Game 3
The Pacers are just two wins away from their first NBA title (they had three in the ABA). But both teams still need to get back to the drawing board and cook up strategies. After all, the crucial Game 4 is right around the corner. Here are some key takeaways from the Pacers’ impressive victory in Game 3.
1. Indiana Dominated the Battle of the Bench
As we have discussed before, these two teams boast the best depth in the league. The Thunder are a supreme team in that regard, but so are the Pacers. So far, this remains the deciding factor in winning a game in the Finals. Indy’s bench dominated Game 1, and Oklahoma City’s bench responded in Game 2. In Game 3, however, it was a total domination by the home team. The Pacers scored 49 points off the bench to the Thunder’s 18. That is a stunning difference, with Bennedict Mathurin dealing the most damage. He scored 27 points off the bench, which is the most in the NBA Finals since Jason Terry in 2011. It is also the most points scored by a player in the finals in just 22 minutes or less.
Bennedict Mathurin with a GAME-HIGH 27 points (9-12 FG) off the bench in the win πͺ pic.twitter.com/FzlJzZLiny
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 12, 2025
TJ McConnell was also a menace on both ends of the floor, scoring 10 points and five assists. But most importantly, he had five steals as well. Three of those came from OKC’s sloppy inbound plays that resulted in a turnover and a bucket every time. That may be a small impact, but it was one of the big swings that had the crowd fired up.
This Indiana bench has been phenomenal for most of these playoffs. They are stepping up when it matters most, and the Pacers are reaping the benefits of it. It was also quite a shocker that only three bench players played in the fourth for OKC. As it was in the first three games, the bench battle will remain one of the factors to watch in this Thunder vs Pacers series.
2. OKC Playing Uncharacteristically
Speaking of sloppy, this wasn’t the Thunder’s game to begin with. A total of 18 bench points? Definitely not the OKC blueprint they’re winning with. Getting outscored 21-14 in points off turnovers? Something that’s never happened before. But most of all, having 17 turnovers is just absolutely nuts for a Thunder team. This is especially true becausw they have been so careful with the ball all season and were the ones inflicting this kind of damage. Oklahoma City is now 1-3 in Game 3s this postseason – but so are the Pacers.
You canβt turn the ball over like OKC has and win Playoff games
19 turnovers and 21 points for the Pacers off those turnovers.
Just sloppy.
The Pacers have been more aggressive all night
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) June 12, 2025
The difference? Well, most teams are blowing out OKC whenever the home court shifts. Still, the battle of adjustments is really a thing for the Thunder, and they’ve been good at it. Still, giving up 17 turnovers and 21 points off them is not what led OKC to the big stage. There were plenty of unforced errors that seemed self-inflicted to begin with, especially in the fourth quarter. On top of that, Oklahoma City wasn’t winning the 50-50 balls, which is something they usually dominate.
They are not handling the ball well, which led to those 17 turnovers. The bench could not score key baskets, with Aaron Wiggins, who had a big Game 2, scoring none in the loss. There’s a lot of talk as to how they can turn this around, however, and it will take them more than just tweaks to win. After all, this is an Indiana team that they’ve just faced twice in the season, and have gone 3-2 overall, including the NBA Finals.
3. History Now Sides with the Pacers
While the Thunder remain favorites in the series, this showdown is now seeing Indiana favored by history. For starters, teams that take a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals have won 79.4% of the time, standing with a 50-13 record. That is something that should fuel Tyrese Haliburton to play more and deliver elite performances to carry his team to the big finish.
The 2015 Warriors had:
β’ MVP & best record in the league
β’ a 2-1 comeback in the 2nd round
β’ a 2-1 comeback in the Finalsβββββββββββ
The 2025 Thunder had:
β’ the MVP & best record in the league
β’ a 2-1 comeback in the 2nd roundTheyβre down 2-1 in the Finals right nowβ¦ pic.twitter.com/PZyIiVcslk
— ππͺπ½π½ βοΈ (@mldiffley) June 12, 2025
Still, there’s optimism when it comes to the Thunder. For starters, they are relatively young, and if there’s anything about history in the NBA, it is that it gets broken from time to time. They have been responding whenever they have their backs against the wall. It is time to figure out what they can do about the roaring engines of Indiana, the struggles of Jalen Williams, and how they can keep on answering the call.
4. The Championship Recipe
Well, over the course of the season, it was OKC that was getting the praise for its defense. The Thunder are the top-rated defensive team in the league, but it was not the case in this Game 3 loss. The Pacers were doing more of the dirty work, blocking, stealing, and smothering shot attempts. Nothing is going to be easy for both teams moving forward. But defense is going to be an essential talking point for the last games left to play in the Thunder vs Pacers series.
McConnell had five steals, and Myles Turner had five blocks, so it was easy to say that it played a factor. Oklahoma City turning the ball over 17 times also was not a good omen. In fact, it was Indiana playing with the same playbook that the Thunder used all season. They were the first to dive for the loose balls, and they wanted it more.
T.J. McConnell tonight: 5 steals
Myles Turner tonight: 5 blocksIt's been 24 YEARS since a pair of teammates did this in a Finals game π€―
Allen Iverson (5 STL) and Dikembe Mutombo (5 BLK) did this on June 6, 2001. pic.twitter.com/oU36ctLvSH
— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025
What made this special is that Haliburton stepped up, flirting with a 22-point, 11-assist, and 9-rebound outing that could have been special. Indiana is now 20-1 whenever he scores 20+ points and dishes out 10+ assists, which is certainly a huge boost to the team. It was a storied win, and now the clash of the two recipes for a championship is moving towards another level.
5. Deja Vu for OKC?
In Game 1, the Thunder lost by a stunner. In Game 2, OKC responded. Game 3? Well, guess what, it was a game where they fell short with J-Dub as the leading scorer. If this isn’t all too familiar for you, it is reminiscent of the Denver series. Now, OKC is down 2-1, as it happened in the West Semifinals. Come to think of it, the Thunder are 5-0 when it comes to games after a loss in these playoffs. If you want more positives for Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stands with a 6-0 record in all Game 4s he’s played with the team. The 2024-25 MVP has averaged 29.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists on 45.7% shooting in those Game 4s.
Game 1 – Game winner on our head
Game 2- Blowout
Game 3- JDub has a good game and Shai doesnβt
π€ pic.twitter.com/FrzZKp2SVp
— Thunder Muse (@ThunderMuse_) June 12, 2025
It does seem that the pattern of the Thunder vs Pacers series is eerily similar to the Denver one. Now, OKC has to make sure that it ends well in their favor if they want to send this one back home tied at 2-2.
The youth OKC exhibits means they are not bound by the norms of the NBA Finals, but also prone to mistakes. That remains to be seen when Game 4 comes in full swing.
What to Expect in Game 4?
The Thunder vs Pacers showdown in the 2025 NBA Finals will continue with Game 4 still in Indianapolis. At this point, it is safe to expect that OKC will play with more desperation in mind. After all, teams with a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals have won 97.4% of the time, with the 2016 Cavaliers being the only one to beat the odds.
Still, 20.6% of teams in the NBA Finals down 2-1 that end up winning the chip. For now, it is one game at a time, and both teams are working their way to have the last word.
Photo credit: Β© Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
