Heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, many expected the Oklahoma City Thunder to walk into Gainbridge Fieldhouse and reclaim home-court advantage, especially after their dominant Game 2 win over the Indiana Pacers.
But the Pacers had other plans, and after their impressive 116–107 win, Indiana now leads the series 2–1 and sits just two wins away from the franchise’s first NBA championship.
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Tyrese Haliburton found his rhythm offensively, finishing with 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, while Pascal Siakam chipped in 21 points. But it was Indiana’s depth that made the difference.
Bennedict Mathurin had a game-high 27 points in just 22 minutes off the bench, T.J. McConnell added 10 points, five assists and five steals, and Obi Toppin posted a game-high plus-18 in his 28 minutes of play.
On the latest episode of The Athletic NBA Daily, Dave DuFour, Es Baraheni and Zena Keita broke down Indiana’s Game 3 win.
They explored how Mathurin’s and McConnell’s ability to get into the paint sparked the Pacers’ offense, how Indiana wore Oklahoma City down with its energy and how Rick Carlisle’s rotations kept the Pacers fresher down the stretch.
They also highlighted the urgency Haliburton played with from the opening tip, how the Pacers’ swarming defense forced the Thunder into tough decisions and the improvement Indiana has shown game-to-game throughout the finals.
On the Oklahoma City side, Game 4 is now a near-must-win, and falling into a 3-1 hole could prove insurmountable.
Dave, Es and Zena discussed how the Thunder’s uncharacteristically high-turnover night proved costly, their lack of bench production and whether alarm bells should be ringing after their Game 3 loss.
They finished by debating whether the winner of Game 4 could ultimately decide who goes on to win the NBA championship.
Watch the full episode of “NBA Daily” below or on the YouTube channel, or via the “NBA Daily” podcast feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
(Top photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images)
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