The Indiana Pacers grabbed a 2-1 edge in the NBA Finals after their bench exploded for 49 points, lifting them to a 116-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in Game 3.
Bennedict Mathurin led the second unit with 27 points, while veteran T.J. McConnell sparked both ends of the court with hustle plays and clutch assists, continuing his stellar postseason run. Tyrese Haliburton nearly posted a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds, and Pascal Siakam added 21 points.
The Thunder fought hard, with Jalen Williams scoring 26 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander adding 24. Chet Holmgren had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but struggled from beyond the arc, missing all six of his three-point attempts.
Despite Oklahoma City closing the gap late in the fourth quarter, key defensive stops and big buckets — including Siakam’s dagger with just over a minute to go — sealed the win for Indiana. McConnell’s relentless defense and fast-break execution also played a pivotal role, tying the game at 95 before fueling a late run.
Indiana now hosts Game 4 on Friday in Indianapolis, where they’ll look to extend their lead in the best-of-seven series