Pacers Grab 2-1 NBA Finals Lead After Electric Game 3 Win Over Thunder

PACERS IGNITE INDIANAPOLIS WITH GAME 3 NBA FINALS WIN

If you watched the stands at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Wednesday night, you felt it: anticipation, nerves, then that tell-tale crackle of belief. The Pacers turned 25 years of waiting into a party, claiming Game 3 of the NBA Finals 116-107 over the Thunder and snatching a 2-1 edge in the series.

The energy spilled off the Indiana bench in waves. Bennedict Mathurin came out firing, clicking in 27 points with the composure of a Finals veteran despite being only a few years into the league. The Pacers’ reserves didn’t just show up—they flat out dominated. They racked up 49 points compared to just 18 for Oklahoma City’s backups, making life easier for Indiana’s starters and keeping the home crowd on its feet play after play.

Mathurin’s performance was just ridiculous: 9-for-12 from the field, hit two out of three deep shots, and converted seven of eight free throws. Taking just 22 minutes to get there? Not your average stat line. T.J. McConnell threw his own twist into the mix, bagging 10 points and nabbing five steals in just 15 minutes, irritating the Thunder offense at every turn.

And this isn’t some out-of-the-blue leap for Indiana. Their run in the Finals has been full of tension and buzzer-beaters. Tyrese Haliburton stunned everyone in Game 1 with a game-winner after the Pacers clawed back from 15 points down. Oklahoma City punched back in Game 2, but the Pacers absorbed the hit and returned fire at home.

HISTORY AND PRESSURE TILT TOWARD INDIANA

The numbers now give the Pacers another weapon besides momentum: teams that win Game 3 when the Finals are 1-1 win the big trophy 80% of the time. That stat isn’t lost on anyone in Indianapolis—from the players on the court to the fans who remember the 2000 Finals, when the Lakers stopped the city’s first title dreams in six games.

The Thunder aren’t strangers to tough spots. Just weeks ago, they stared down the same script against Denver: lost Game 1 on a heartbreaker, grabbed Game 2, dropped Game 3 on the road. That time, they stormed back and took the series, so don’t expect OKC to fade. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and crew have proven they can punch back. The question now is: can they do it again against a Pacers team feeding off both history and home-court chaos?

Game 4 is on deck for Friday in Indianapolis. Can the Thunder cool off Indiana and tie it up, or will the Pacers ride this tide to a near-insurmountable 3-1 series lead? If Indiana’s bench repeats this performance—and if Mathurin keeps his foot on the gas—expect the unexpected in this Finals showdown.