The Indiana Pacers have once again seized control of the NBA Finals after a strong showing in Game 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers secured a 116 to 107 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night. After a tightly contested battle through three quarters, Indiana pulled away in the fourth with a dominant surge that left OKC struggling to respond.
With this win, the Pacers now hold a 2 to 1 advantage in the best-of-seven series. They are just two more victories away from capturing the NBA title. Historically, teams that go up 2 to 1 in the Finals have an 81 percent chance of winning the series.
Bennedict Mathurin Makes History Off The Bench In Pacers’ Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin delivered one of the most electrifying bench performances in NBA Finals history. He scored 27 points in just 22 minutes of action, hitting nine of his twelve shots from the field and making two of three attempts from beyond the arc. He also added four rebounds and one assist.
Bennedict Mathurin led all scorers
27 points on 9/12 FG
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This effort ranks as the third-highest-scoring Finals performance off the bench in league history. It was also the most points scored off the bench in an NBA Finals game since Jason Terry’s iconic performance in 2011.
Tyrese Haliburton continued to anchor the Pacers’ offense with a well-rounded showing. Despite playing with a “lower leg thing,” he finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists while going four of eight from three-point range.
Pascal Siakam provided a strong presence for the Pacers, contributing 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Aaron Nesmith added seven points, while Myles Turner chipped in nine points and two rebounds. T.J. McConnell dished out five assists along with his 10 points.
For the Thunder, Jalen Williams led all the scorers with 26 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points, shooting nine for twenty from the floor and hitting five of six free throws. However, he also turned the ball over six times, which proved costly in crucial stretches.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Lu Dort contributed 12 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso combined for 12 points.
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