Pacers Triumph Over Thunder in Game 3 to Take Commanding Lead in NBA Finals

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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Indiana Pacers Flip the Script with Dominant Fourth Quarter

The Pacers just turned the NBA Finals upside down in front of an electric Indianapolis crowd, seizing a 2-1 series lead after knocking off the Thunder 116-107 in Game 3. This wasn't just any win — it was a statement performance, fueled by a bench mob that dropped a jaw-dropping 49 points on Oklahoma City’s second unit. Bennedict Mathurin was the spark, torching the Thunder for 27 points off the bench and showing why Indiana’s depth might be their secret weapon.

You’d think a team led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, both coming off big scoring nights, would handle business with a five-point lead going into the fourth. Instead, the Pacers shifted gears, blitzing Oklahoma City 32-18 in the final period. Tyrese Haliburton kept orchestrating the show — he packed the stat sheet with 22 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds, once again flirting with a triple-double. Pascal Siakam chipped in 21 points, keeping the Pacers’ offense humming. Even with a sluggish night from three-point range (just 9-for-27), Indiana shot a healthy 51.8% overall — living proof that you don’t need to catch fire from downtown to win at this level.

Oklahoma City’s Nightmare Bench Performance and High-Stakes Gamble

Thunder fans had high hopes as they watched Jalen Williams rack up 26, Gilgeous-Alexander put up 24, and Chet Holmgren add 20 more. But when the starters sat, things got ugly. Oklahoma City's bench was manhandled, delivering a measly 18 points — nowhere near enough to keep pace. This game made one thing painfully clear: the Pacers’ rotation is built for these high-pressure moments, while the Thunder are scrambling to keep up.

There’s another twist to this showdown, and it involves a big-name spectator: Jay-Z. The music mogul rolled the dice on the Thunder storming to a title in five games, slapping down a $1 million bet at wild +230 odds. The Pacers’ comeback now means that ticket is a bust — what would’ve been a cool $3.3 million in his pocket is now just a footnote in a wild Finals narrative.

The Pacers keep building momentum in the postseason, improving to a perfect 10-0 after losses since March. History’s suddenly on their side, too: teams who take Game 3 after a split series have won the NBA Finals 80.5% of the time (that’s 33 of 41 times, to be exact). The pressure rolls right into Game 4, set for Friday in Indianapolis, where the Pacers could push the Thunder to the brink and get one win away from a championship that very few saw coming before this spring.