MANILA, Philippines – In a crucial Game 3, the Indiana Pacers pulled away late to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116–107 and take a 2–1 series lead. Both teams traded runs throughout, but Indiana’s fourth-quarter surge proved decisive on their home floor.
Oklahoma City came out the aggressor, with Chet Holmgren putting on a show early, racking up 13 points and bullying his way inside.
The Thunder rode a 10–2 run midway through the quarter, capitalizing on Indiana’s back-to-back turnovers and cold shooting from beyond the arc.
Tyrese Haliburton struggled to find rhythm, while Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander kept OKC’s offense humming with quick drives and kickouts. Despite a late push from the Pacers, OKC held the upper hand after one, 34–26.
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| Haliburton posts 22-9-11 to power Pacers past OKC and take 2–1 series lead. Photo courtesy: X/NBA |
Indiana’s second unit sparked a stunning turnaround, headlined by Benedict Mathurin’s explosive scoring off the bench and T.J. McConnell’s steady playmaking.
A 13-0 Pacers run flipped the momentum completely, igniting the home crowd and sending OKC into a timeout to regroup.
The Pacers’ relentless attack resulted in a 40-point second quarter; the most ever by the franchise in an NBA Finals frame.
As halftime hit, Indiana had clawed back to take the lead, 64-60.
OKC regrouped after the break, stringing together an 8-0 run led by Jalen Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander to silence the crowd and retake the lead.
Indiana stayed within striking distance thanks to Siakam’s mid-range accuracy and Turner's putbacks, keeping things tight through several deadlocks in the period.
Holmgren and Isaiah Joe hit timely shots to momentarily stretch OKC’s cushion, but the Pacers refused to go away. The Thunder entered the final quarter with a narrow 89-84 edge.
The Pacers erupted in the fourth with a 12-2 opening blitz, sparked by Haliburton’s playmaking and a thunderous dunk from Myles Turner that sent the arena into a frenzy.
Indiana’s defense locked in, forcing OKC into tough shots while limiting second-chance opportunities.
Mathurin continued his scoring tear, and McConnell’s hustle plays turned into easy baskets that kept the Thunder at bay.
By the final buzzer, Indiana had flipped the script with a dominant 32-18 quarter to close out a 116-107 victory.
Game 4 tips off Saturday morning (Manila Time) in Indianapolis, with the Pacers looking to push the Thunder to the brink and OKC aiming to even the series once again.
— Joey Boy Capos, The Summit Express