Pacers Outshine Thunder in NBA Finals Game 3 Thriller
The Indianapolis crowd finally got something to shout about after the Pacers punched out a 116-107 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on their home floor in Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Finals. This wasn’t just any playoff win — it swung the series in Indiana’s favor, giving them a 2-1 lead and maybe, just maybe, a real shot at their first NBA championship. The star of the night? Bennedict Mathurin, coming off the bench and torching the Thunder for 27 points on red-hot 9-of-12 shooting. He only missed one three, and by the time he was done, Oklahoma City’s defense looked dazed.
If you glance at the box score, it tells you what matters: NBA Finals games can turn on one big spark from an unlikely hero. That was Mathurin. Pacers starters Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam piled on with 22 and 21 points, respectively, and Haliburton nearly managed a triple-double – he was one rebound away, racking up 11 assists alongside his scoring. The Pacers just couldn’t be denied when it mattered most. When they started the fourth quarter down five, it looked dicey for Indiana. That’s when the bench mob, anchored by Mathurin, blew the game open. Indiana’s bench outscored the Thunder's subs 49-18. It’s rare to see that kind of firepower from reserves on such a huge stage, and Oklahoma City simply couldn’t answer.
Looking over at the Thunder, three of their young stars kept turning up the pressure. Jalen Williams dropped 26, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got to 24 after a slow start, and big man Chet Holmgren added 20. The Thunder entered the Finals with by far the league’s best record at 68-14 and a reputation for pulling out close games all season. Yet here, in the crunch, Indiana took over when it mattered most. Suddenly, all that regular season dominance feels a little less certain now that the Pacers have snatched the series momentum.
History Favors the Game 3 Winner as Pacers Head Back to Indy
This wasn’t just a feel-good story—it could mean so much more for Indiana. Stat guys will tell you: teams that win Game 3 after a 1-1 Finals tie go on to take the series more than 80% of the time. If history counts for anything, the Pacers are right where they want to be. Even more encouraging, Indiana has now won every game (ten-straight) following a loss since mid-March. That’s the kind of resilience fans talk about in bars for years if it leads to a title.
Game 4 is happening Friday night in Indianapolis. Thunder fans know the stakes—their team hasn’t held the NBA trophy since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008, and they’re running out of time if they want to flip the script. But you can feel it: with their bench rolling and stars in rhythm, Indiana’s crowd believes this could finally be the year. The Pacers are chasing history, and judging by Mathurin’s explosion, they might just catch it.
