Pacers Regain the Lead in the NBA Finals with an Epic Victory
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers took the lead in the NBA Finals by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder with a score of 116-107 in Game 3. The match, played on Wednesday night, was full of excitement and key moments that defined the course of the game. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers’ attack off the bench, scoring 27 crucial points. Tyrese Haliburton contributed 22 points, as well as 11 assists and nine rebounds, demonstrating his versatility on the court. Pascal Siakam contributed 21 points, consolidating the team’s offense. The Pacers’ bench performance was impressive, outscoring the Thunder by a margin of 49-18 in points. This advantage was crucial for the home team’s victory.Mathurin joined a select group of players who have excelled in the Finals at a young age. He is the sixth player since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77 to score 25 or more points in the Finals at age 22 or younger, sharing this achievement with figures like Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant. On the Thunder’s side, Jalen Williams scored 26 points, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 24 and Chet Holmgren with 20. Despite leading by five points at the end of the third quarter, the Thunder were unable to maintain their lead. Game 4 will be played again in Indiana on Friday night. Historically, the winner of Game 3 in a tied 1-1 series in the NBA Finals has a high probability of winning the championship. In 41 previous series in this situation, the winner of Game 3 took the trophy on 33 occasions, representing 80.5%. The game was very close, with 15 ties, surpassing the 13 ties recorded in the five games of last year’s Finals between Boston and Dallas. T.J. McConnell of the Pacers had an outstanding performance off the bench, recording 10 points, five assists, and five steals, an unprecedented feat in Finals history. In a crucial moment, the Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith committed a foul on the Thunder’s Alex Caruso. After a review, it was determined that it was a common foul instead of a flagrant one, which allowed Caruso to score two free throws. Despite the pressure, the Pacers, playing at home in the Finals for the first time in 25 years, maintained control of the game.We just had players making play after play. Our bench was amazing. It’s a great win for us.
Tyrese Haliburton
Amazing. Amazing. We love playing in front of our fans. We love being here. They deserve high-level basketball and we’re giving it to them right now.
Tyrese Haliburton
