Oklahoma City Thunder came back to overturn Indiana Pacers 111-104 to level the NBA Finals at 2-2.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered for Oklahoma, scoring 15 of his 35 points in the final 4:38, capping his team’s rally from a 10-point second-half deficit as they sealed a crucial victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
“He definitely showed who he is tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Thunder closed the game on a 16-7 run and Gilgeous-Alexander had all but one of those points.
“We played with desperation to end the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, “and that’s why we won.”
Jalen Williams added 27, Alex Caruso had 20 and Chet Holmgren finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Thunder. They did it the hard way – with a season-low three 3-pointers, and no assists from Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time all season.
Pascal Siakam scored 20 for Indiana, and they got 18 from Tyrese Haliburton and 17 from Obi Toppin.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin battle for the ball. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Game Five of the best-of-seven series is at Oklahoma City on Monday night, with the Thunder now having reclaimed home-court advantage.
“This kind of a challenge is going to have extreme highs and extreme lows,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “This is a low right now and we’re going to have to bounce back from it.”
The Thunder have managed to keep alive realistic hopes of winning the title. Teams with a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals have gone on to win the championship 37 times in 38 past chances and the Pacers looked well on their way to being the 39th team with such an edge, before Gilgeous-Alexander saved the day for his side.
“We knew it when we woke up this morning – 3-1 is a lot different than 2-2 going back home,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The Pacers came out flying, scoring 20 points in the first 4:59 – only the second time all season the Thunder gave up so many so quickly. They led by as many as nine early, but were unable to pull away.
The match got edgy. Toppin was called for a Flagrant 1 on Caruso midway through the second quarter, then Toppin was the recipient of a Flagrant 1 from Lu Dort just before the half. The Pacers closed on a 15-6 run, taking a 60-57 lead into the break.
Toppin’s baseline dunk late in the third put Indiana up 86-76, its first double-digit lead of the series. Oklahoma City managed to come back. A 13-3 run tied the game early in the fourth quarter at 89-89. The teams tied at 91, 95 and 97. Eventually Thunder overtook the Pacers. Gilgeous-Alexander’s step-back with 2:23 left put the Thunder up 104-103, their first lead of the second half.
They kept it the rest of the way.
“We wanted to win,” Siakam said. “I thought we played well enough for some stretches.
“But unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”
