If you were looking for a drama-free night of basketball, you definitely tuned into the wrong game. The Indiana Pacers just took down the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals. It was loud. It was messy. Honestly, it was exactly what the city of Indianapolis needed after waiting 25 years for a Finals game to return to their dirt.
The Pacers now hold a 2-1 series lead.
But if you just look at the final score, you're missing the part where the Thunder looked like they were going to run away with it early. Then there was the part where the Pacers' bench basically decided to become the 1992 Dream Team for a quarter. Let's break down how this actually happened.
Who Won Game 3 of the NBA Finals and How?
Indiana won because they have a depth problem—specifically, a problem for whoever has to guard their second unit. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was out there doing SGA things (he finished with 24 points, though it felt like a quiet 24), the Pacers' bench was detonating.
Bennedict Mathurin was the story. 27 points. 22 minutes. That is a level of efficiency that doesn't even make sense in a video game, let alone a Finals game. He was getting to the rim at will. He hit 9 of his 12 shots. When a guy off your bench is outscoring every single starter on the floor, you're usually going to win that game.
The momentum shifted for good in the second and fourth quarters. In the second, Indy outscored OKC 40-28. In the fourth, when the Thunder usually tighten the screws, the Pacers slammed the door with a 32-18 run.
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The Tyrese Haliburton Factor
Tyrese Haliburton had been a little bit under the weather or just out of sync in the first two games in OKC. Not tonight. He put up:
- 22 points
- 11 assists
- 9 rebounds
- 2 steals
He was one board shy of a triple-double. But more than the stats, he was decisive. He wasn't dancing on the perimeter for 20 seconds; he was getting into the paint and forcing the Thunder's defense to collapse. When he plays like this, the Pacers are a nightmare to cover because you can't just "lock in" on one guy.
The Thunder’s Fourth Quarter Meltdown
It’s weird to say about a team that won 68 games in the regular season, but the Thunder looked rattled. They had a five-point lead going into the final frame. Mark Daigneault usually has this team playing like a Swiss watch, but the gears just ground to a halt.
They turned the ball over 19 times. You cannot do that on the road in the Finals.
T.J. McConnell was a human mosquito. He had 10 points and 5 steals in just 15 minutes. Three of those steals came on inbounds passes. He was basically living in the Thunder’s jerseys. It’s the kind of performance that makes opposing fans want to throw their remote at the TV, but if he’s on your team, you want to build him a statue.
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Why Shai Couldn't Close
Shai is the MVP. We know this. But the Pacers threw a "junk" defense at him in the fourth quarter that clearly bothered him. They were blitzing the high screen and making him give up the rock to guys like Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren. Chet started hot—13 points in the first quarter—but he faded late, finishing with 20.
The Thunder bench only gave them 18 points. When you compare that to the Pacers' 49 bench points, it’s a miracle the game was even close.
What This Means for the Rest of the Series
If you're an OKC fan, you're probably not panicking yet, but you're definitely sweating. History says the winner of Game 3 in a 1-1 series wins the championship about 80% of the time. The Pacers have all the vibes right now.
But let’s be real: this series has been a seesaw.
- Game 1: Pacers steal it by a point.
- Game 2: Thunder blow them out by 16.
- Game 3: Pacers pull away late at home.
The big question moving forward is whether Indiana's bench can keep up this historic production. T.J. McConnell becoming the first player since the 70s to have those specific bench numbers in a Finals game isn't exactly a "sustainable" strategy. Or maybe it is for this Pacers team. They play fast, they play random, and they play with a lot of heart.
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Real Talk on the Matchup
Look, the Thunder are more talented. On paper, a lineup featuring SGA, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren should beat a team led by Haliburton and Pascal Siakam (who had a solid 21 tonight, by the way). But the Finals aren't played on paper. They're played in loud arenas like Gainbridge Fieldhouse where the refs let a little more contact go and role players like Obi Toppin start hitting transition dunks that make the roof shake.
If Oklahoma City doesn't find a way to take care of the ball in Game 4, they're going back home facing elimination.
Watch the turnovers. If OKC keeps them under 12 in the next game, they probably win. If they keep throwing "lazy" passes that McConnell can sniff out from across the court, this series might be over sooner than we thought.
Keep an eye on Bennedict Mathurin. The Thunder have to find someone who can stay in front of him. Lu Dort is a great defender, but he can't be everywhere at once.
Next Steps for Fans:
Check the injury report for Game 4. High-intensity games like this usually leave some bruises. Also, look at the shooting splits for the Thunder's supporting cast. If the "other guys" for OKC don't start hitting shots, the Pacers' defensive strategy of "anyone but Shai" is going to land Indiana their first-ever NBA title.