Pacers Regain NBA Finals Lead with Win Over Thunder

In Indianapolis, Benedict Maturin played a crucial role off the bench, scoring 27 points, while Tyreese Halliburton contributed 22 points. The Indiana Pacers took back the lead in the NBA Finals by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 on Wednesday night.

Halliburton also tallied an impressive 11 assists and nine rebounds, leading the Pacers to a significant 49-18 advantage in bench points. Interestingly, he managed to score 21 points from Pascal Siakam.

After losing Game 2 in Oklahoma City, the Pacers improved their record to 10-0 since mid-March following that setback.

On the Thunder’s side, Jalen Williams netted 26 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 points, and Chet Holmgren chipped in with 20 points.

Game 4 of the series will return to Indiana on Friday night.

The historical context suggests the Pacers are in a strong position. Of the 41 previous NBA Finals that have been tied after two games, the team that won Game 3 has gone on to win the championship 33 times, which translates to an 80.5% success rate.

It was a gripping match in many respects, truly feeling like a classic encounter. There were even 15 ties throughout the game, reminiscent of last year’s five-game series between Boston and Dallas, which had 13 ties.

TJ McConnell contributed with 10 points, five assists, and five steals for Indiana. It’s noteworthy that, despite various standout performances, no player truly dominated off the bench in this Finals game.

During a late-game moment, Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith committed a hard foul on Alex Caruso that warranted review. The officials concluded it was a common foul, allowing Caruso to shoot two free throws, which he made. This cut the Pacers’ lead to 110-104.

Nevertheless, the Pacers maintained control, securing their first NBA Finals win at home in 25 years.