Pacers Take 2-1 NBA Finals Advantage with Comeback Game 3 Victory Over Thunder

Tyrese Haliburton // Getty Image

The Indiana Pacers claimed a dominant 2-1 advantage in the 2025 NBA Finals with an gritty 116-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Showing typical resilience, the Pacers overcame a five-point third-quarter deficit and took control down the stretch, scoring 36 of their 36 fourth-quarter points to outscore the Thunder 36-22 in the final quarter.

All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with a near triple-double of 22 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds, with playmaking and poise setting the tone. However, it was Indiana's bench that proved to be the game-changer. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin made the big plays with a breakout effort of 27 points and ignited a second-half surge. The Pacers' bench dominated Oklahoma City's 49-18, providing the team with a precious buffer in a nail-biter.

"This was a team victory, full team," Haliburton explained afterward. "So many various guys made plays. Ben was unbelievable off the bench, and we just found ways to make plays again and again." Mathurin, who played with infectious energy, added, "Resilience is the key. You need to be the aggressor if you're going to get it done on this stage."

Indiana Pacers guards Benedict Mathurin (00) and Tyrese Haliburton celebrate following Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder // AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Indiana's toughness after a slip is one of their playoff existence. After their 16-point loss in Game 2, the Pacers avoided consecutive losses for the first time since March with large help from good defensive rotation and a insistence on physical labor in the paint.

On the other team, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held in check most of the fourth quarter, with 24 total points, but just three in the fourth quarter. Jalen Williams scored a game-high 26 for Oklahoma City, while Chet Holmgren added a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but that was negated by sloppy ball control. Thunder committed 19 turnovers, which turned into 21 points for Indiana, marking a decisive flaw that deprived them of momentum in the last part of the game.

"We just didn't execute in the fourth," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. "They were the better team when it mattered most—on both ends of the floor."

With the momentum now theirs and home-court advantage still, the Pacers will look to solidify their grip on the series in Game 4, which gets under way Friday at 8:30 p.m. local time (1:30 a.m. Saturday BST) in Indianapolis. A win would have Indiana on the precipice of claiming their first-ever NBA title.

THE UNCOMMON BREED