The Pacers’ pulse, turning up the volume.
Game 4 of the NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV tips off tonight in Indiana (8:30 ET, ABC).
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
June 13, 2025
Game 4 In 2 Minutes: High stakes, an electric environment and everything in between
Defensive Difference: How Indy stymied OKC’s high-powered offense in Game 3
What They’re Saying: Carlisle’s message, McConnell’s moment and the Thunder’s mantra
Game 3 Frames: Snapshots from Indiana’s long-awaited return to basketball’s biggest stage
Unforgettable: The true story behind Steve Kerr’s Game 6 winner of the 1997 NBA Finals
1. GAME 4 IN 2 MINUTES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The state of Indiana waited a quarter century to host another NBA Finals game – and Wednesday’s Game 3 delivered, pushing the Pacers two wins shy of their first-ever NBA title.
Forty-eight hours after a win 25 years in the making, Indy is ready to rattle Gainbridge Fieldhouse again – with even more at stake tonight (8:30 ET, ABC).
- The Stakes For Indy: A win would make the Pacers the 39th team to take a 3-1 series lead in the Finals. Of those previous 38 teams, 37 went on to win the title (97.4%)
- The Stakes For OKC: Teams down 2-1 on the road in the Finals are 10-9 all-time in Game 4, with three straight victories. Of those previous 10 winners, seven went on to win the series (70%)
More Than A Game: In a state synonymous with hoops, the Pacers come into Game 4 with one of the league’s top home-court advantages — powered by a 17,274 Hoosiers turning up the volume inside Gainbridge
- Home Cooking: With Wednesday’s win, the Pacers improved to 36-13 at home this season, including a 7-2 Playoff record (77.8%) — trailing only the Thunder at 9-2 (81.8%)
- Best In The Building: Since Jan. 1, Indy and OKC not only boast the top two records (reg+post) but also the two best home records, with neither team dropping more than seven games in their own building in the last six months
- ‘Absolutely Deafening’: See what Pat McAfee, Shea Serrano, Kevin O’Connor & more had to say about an epic Game 3 in front of a loud Indy crowd
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Stars Shining: At the epicenter of this back-and-forth Finals are Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – two stars trading signature moments as they look to steer their cities to their first NBA title.
- Back In Control: After playing hero in Game 1, Haliburton put together his most complete performance of the series in Game 3, finishing one rebound shy of a triple-double (22 pts, 9 reb, 11 ast)
- Built For This: After scoring an NBA record 72 points in his first two career Finals games, SGA added to his historic postseason, dropping 24 to surpass Kevin Durant (570) for the most points in a single Playoff run in OKC history
- Bench Boost: But it was Indy’s depth that made the difference, fueled by historic nights from Bennedict Mathurin (27 pts) and T.J. McConnell (10 pts, 5 ast, 5 stl), as the Pacers outscored OKC 49-18 in bench points
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Always Answering: The Thunder may be the second-youngest team in the shot clock era to reach the Finals, but they’ve weathered a similar storm before – in these Playoffs.
- Déjà Vu: In the West Semis against Denver, OKC lost Game 1 at home on a last-second shot, bounced back with a 15+ point win in Game 2, then lost by nine on the road in Game 3
- Sound Familiar? That exact sequence has played out in these Finals, and OKC went on to win Game 4 – and three of the next four – to oust Denver in seven
- It’s What They Do: The Thunder are an NBA-best 17-2 following a loss this season, including a perfect 5-0 in the Playoffs
- “We have to get back to being who we are,” said Chet Holmgren ahead of Game 4. “We have to close out possessions, we have to take care of the ball and execute to the level and standard that we expect from us.”
2. DEFENSIVE DIFFERENCE: HOW INDY STIFLED OKC’S ATTACK IN GAME 3
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In a seven-game series, the margins shrink. Every possession, every switch, every subtle tweak can swing the outcome.
After being held to 110 points in Game 1, OKC’s high-octane offense made the first move, countering with 123 in Game 2 – powered by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s masterful showing (34 pts, 8 ast).
To regain control of the series, Indiana had to do something few teams had managed all season – contain the Kia NBA MVP.
At the heart of that challenge is an evolving chess match between SGA and Andrew Nembhard – two lifelong friends battling on basketball’s biggest stage.
- Action: In Game 2, Nembhard guarded SGA 64.3% of the time they shared the floor. In that time, Shai tallied 7 points on 50% shooting and 3 assists. On the 35.7% of possessions when other Pacers guarded him, SGA scored 27
- Reaction: So how did Rick Carlisle and the Pacers respond? By upping Nembhard’s role in Game 3, assigning him to SGA on 78.6% of shared possessions — his highest rate all series
- Execution: In those possessions (9:51 of gametime), Nembhard held Shai to 6 points on 2-of-7 shooting (28.6%) along with three turnovers
But it wasn’t just the time Nembhard spent guarding SGA that made the difference – it was how he guarded him, picking him up full-court, while Indy waited to pounce with traps and doubles.
Here, Nembhard is in SGA’s jersey from the inbound, forcing multiple changes of direction before luring him into a trap with Myles Turner and forcing a jump ball.
Nembhard hounded SGA baseline to baseline all game, helping Indiana wear down the MVP over four quarters. By night’s end, SGA had logged 1.62 miles on offense — the most of any Thunder player.
On the other side, no Pacer covered more defensive ground than – guess who – Nembhard (1.32 miles).
Even in the halfcourt, Indy made SGA work for every shot. When he tries to isolate Nembhard on the wing, he’s met with two quick doubles, ultimately forcing a tough, contested fadeaway.
Cat & Mouse: Like all great players, SGA adjusted – turning to playmaking when doubles came, drawing help and finding teammates for open looks.
With all five Pacers keyed on SGA, he draws the defense in and threads a dime to Isaiah Hartenstein for an easy dunk.
But Indy saved its sharpest adjustment for the 4th. Rather than sending multiple on-ball defenders at SGA, the Pacers denied him touches altogether – with Nembhard face-guarding him off-ball, while Indy swarmed OKC’s secondary ballhandlers.
With Nembhard locking off SGA, Indy disrupts OKC’s rhythm – creating an unfamiliar 4-on-4 look that leads to a rushed possession and a late turnover. It was one of 13 live-ball turnovers for OKC, the most it’s committed all Playoffs and the second-most all season.
The Pacers finished the 4th with four steals and five blocks, holding OKC to a Playoff-low 18 points in the quarter and just one field goal in the final 5:57 – a late lockdown that’s become part of their clutch identity.
- Dominant Storm: The Thunder entered the Finals averaging 28.8 ppg on 46.6% shooting in the 4th for a +10.8 NetRtg
- New Pace: In the Finals, Indy has held OKC to 24.3 ppg in the 4th on 37.5% shooting for a -42.9 NetRtg
- The Result? Indy has won all three 4th quarters, outscoring OKC 100-73 to take control of the series
“They really outplayed us in the 4th,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault on Thursday. “They played with great energy. They were physical. And they sustained it…”
“Now, we need to impose our style and our will if we want to come on the road and get a win.”
3. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: INDY’S GRINDSET, OKC STAYING LEVEL
Rick Carlisle cut off a reporter when asked about the Pacers’ approach with another 2-1 series lead this postseason.
“It’s a daunting challenge,” Carlisle said. “Anything less than a total grit mindset, we just don’t have a chance.”
Along with several of his players Thursday, he faced the media after practice in the leadup to tonight’s Game 4. Indiana has a chance to head back to Oklahoma City with a 3-1 advantage in tow.
- McConnell Mania: The gutty, gritty performance of T.J. McConnell and his unprecedented Finals stat line off the bench (10 pts, 5 ast, 5 stl) is a big reason why
- Role Player: Regularly operating as a reserve, he embraces what his team asks of him, and did that to a T in Game 3, igniting the Indy crowd to seize momentum
- “Just trying to do my job. Really that’s all it comes down to,” McConnell said. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
- Extra Meaning: The night was even more special because of who was in attendance. His grandfather sat in the stands Wednesday following the loss of his wife in late May
- “The fact that he made the trip here to come watch me play,” McConnell said. “I can’t put into words how much it meant.”
Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images
Steady OKC: Game 3 wasn’t a familiar feeling for the Thunder, who posted an NBA-best 68-14 regular-season record and the highest NetRtg in league history.
But that doesn’t make this a foreign spot.
- Precedent: After falling into a 2-1 hole in the West Semis, OKC held Denver to 87 points to take Game 4 en route to three wins in four games to advance
- Bread & Butter: In those four games, SGA averaged 30.8 ppg on 55.8% shooting, while the Thunder held the Nuggets to just 39.8% from the floor
The group is steadied by one mantra throughout this Playoff run – “be where your feet are.” It’s been a principle since last season, and often guided them in moments like these.
- “It’s just something to remind us how far we’ve come,” said Jalen Williams. “The more we can get back to zero, the better we’ll be.”
- Ready To Compete: The secret to Alex Caruso’s rise? “Wherever I was, just being really present and competing,” he told Player Correspondent Matas Buzelis
4. GAME 3 FRAMES: INDIANA’S LONG-AWAITED FINALS RETURN
The last time Indiana hosted an NBA Finals game, Pluto was still a planet, ‘apps’ still meant appetizers and three of the Pacers’ five current starters were in diapers.
Then, Wednesday happened. And Indy didn’t disappoint.
Before the Fieldhouse roars again tonight, let’s take a look back at eight of our favorite frames from a night 25 years in the making.
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Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
5. UNFORGETTABLE: INSIDE STEVE KERR’S 1997 GAME 6 WINNER
Jonathan Daniel/NBAE via Getty Images
With a 3-2 series lead over the Jazz in the 1997 Finals, the Bulls needed one last bucket in Game 6 to clinch their fifth title in seven years.
With less than 10 seconds left and the score tied at 86, the ball found its way to Michael Jordan (39 pts) — who had won Game 1 with a go-ahead bucket in the final seconds.
But this time, Utah refused to let Jordan have it, sending both Byron Russell and John Stockton to double-team him. That’s when MJ found a wide-open Steve Kerr at the top of the key.
With seven points on the night, Kerr stepped into a 17-foot jumper, elevated and drew nothing but net with five ticks left to secure the title – 28 years ago today.
Days later at the championship parade, Kerr famously joked he had to ‘bail Michael out again’ with the game-winner.
But here’s how he really remembers the moment leading up to the shot:
“Michael won Game 1 in the same situation. We knew they weren’t going to let him do it again, and I had a feeling Stockton was gonna leave me. He’s been leaving me a lot this series and I haven’t made him pay…
“So Michael turned to me during the timeout. I saw him thinking for a long time – he was just kind of sitting there thinking about what was going on and finally he turned to me and he said, ‘You be ready. Stockton’s gonna come off of you.’
“I said, ‘I’ll be ready. I’ll knock it down.’ … And I was like (to myself), ‘Will I?’ … But I told him that I was going to do it … and I’m just so thankful…
“It was great to see my whole family out there in the stands tonight – my brother, my mom, my wife and kids – and what a thrill…
“Whoever could have expected this – to hit the game-winning shot in the NBA Finals – I mean, this is a joke. I can’t believe I’m sitting up here … But I felt their support tonight and – what a feeling.”
