The air in Gainbridge Fieldhouse was electric on Friday as the Indiana Pacers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in basketball.
The series, with the Pacers leading 2-1 after a rollercoaster of momentum shifts, had Indianapolis buzzing with anticipation. The Pacers, fresh off a commanding 116-107 victory in Game 3, aimed to seize control at home, while the Thunder, led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, were determined to even the score and reclaim their edge as the top seed. With both teams vying for their first NBA championship in their current cities, the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
The game tipped off with a frenetic pace, true to the series’ reputation for high-octane basketball. The Pacers, fueled by their home crowd and the dynamic play of Tyrese Haliburton, came out swinging. Haliburton, who had dazzled in Game 3 with 22 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds, set the tone early with a silky 30-foot three-pointer assisted by Andrew Nembhard. Indiana’s offense, known for its fluid ball movement, carved through OKC’s vaunted defense, which had been described as “15 puppets on one string” by opponents for its relentless cohesion. Pascal Siakam, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, added a layup off a Myles Turner feed, and the Pacers surged to an early 12-5 lead.
But the Thunder, battle-tested after a 68-win regular season, refused to flinch. Gilgeous-Alexander, a maestro in the midrange, answered with a pull-up jumper, his signature move that had tormented defenses all postseason. OKC’s transition game, the best in the playoffs with 1.42 points per possession, came alive as Luguentz Dort forced a steal and fed Jalen Williams for a thunderous dunk. By the end of the first quarter, the score was knotted at 28-28, with 15 ties already hinting at the back-and-forth battle to come.
The second quarter saw Indiana’s bench, led by Bennedict Mathurin, flex its muscle. Mathurin, who had erupted for 27 points in Game 3, drained a 23-foot three off a T.J. McConnell assist, pushing the Pacers to a 10-point lead. McConnell, a gritty sparkplug, added a driving layup, showcasing Indiana’s 49-18 bench scoring edge from the previous game. Yet, OKC’s depth responded. Aaron Wiggins, an unsung hero off the Thunder’s bench, hit a corner three, and Chet Holmgren, despite a quiet Game 3, swatted a Siakam layup to ignite the crowd. At halftime, Indiana clung to a slim 58-55 lead.
The third quarter was a chess match. OKC’s defense, which led the playoffs in limiting opponents’ transition possessions to 13.6%, tightened the screws. Dort and Alex Caruso swarmed Haliburton, forcing a rare turnover. Gilgeous-Alexander capitalized, scoring 10 points in the quarter, including a 24-foot three that flipped a one-point deficit into a five-point lead with 52 seconds left. But Indiana’s resilience shone through. Aaron Nesmith hit a 24-foot three, assisted by Haliburton, and the Pacers entered the fourth trailing 83-81.
The final frame was where legends were made. With the Pacers down by 10 midway through the quarter, Haliburton orchestrated a furious rally. A 25-foot three-pointer, followed by an Obi Toppin dunk off a Siakam assist, brought the crowd to its feet. But Gilgeous-Alexander, with the game on the line, proved why he was the MVP. Scoring 15 of his 35 points in the fourth, he hit a dagger 12-foot pull-up over Nesmith with 1:20 left, giving OKC a 105-102 lead. The Pacers fought back, with McConnell’s midrange jumper cutting it to one, but Cason Wallace’s block on a McConnell layup and a perfect 10-for-10 free-throw performance from Gilgeous-Alexander sealed the deal.
When the buzzer sounded, the Thunder had prevailed 111-104, tying the series at 2-2. The stat sheet told the story: OKC shot 47.4% from the field, outrebounded Indiana 43-33, and leaned on Gilgeous-Alexander’s 35 points, 12-of-24 shooting, and 10 free throws. Indiana’s 30.6% three-point shooting and 16 turnovers proved costly, despite Siakam’s 20 points and Haliburton’s late heroics. As the teams headed back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, the Finals promised more drama, with both fanbases dreaming of a historic first title.
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