Pacers may regret Game 4 loss in hard-fought NBA Finals series
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers desperately needed Game 4.
For three quarters, it looked like they had it. The Pacers appeared to be on track for a 3-1 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, with control of the game in hand, But that control slipped away.
After trailing for most of the game, the Thunder, whose largest lead came at the final buzzer, pulled off a 111-104 victory on Friday, June 13.
Now, with the series tied 2-2 heading back to Oklahoma City for Game 5, the Pacers may look back on Game 4 as the turning point—the loss that changed the course of the Finals.
“You’re up seven at home,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, referring to their 87-80 lead entering the fourth quarter. “You have to dig in and find a way to win, and we didn’t do it tonight.”
Was it a missed chance? It’s tough to say, as the Thunder played a key role in the Pacers’ struggles in the final six minutes. Did the Pacers let it slip away, or did Oklahoma City seize it? Regardless, Indiana lost the opportunity. But that’s what happens in Finals basketball—between two elite teams that play with intensity and are well-coached. In a series like this, every possession counts.
Just listen to the coaches.
“It’s the ultimate effort, whatever you want to call it,” said Carlisle. “It’s long and grueling, but it’s the greatest opportunity you can have. It’s hard, and it’s meant to be hard.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault added, “We had some deflating moments. It was easy to give up. They’re tough to beat here, and tough to beat period. I thought we found a way to win even when we didn’t have much going, especially on offense.”
The series is wearing on both teams, mentally and physically.
“It’s frustrating,” said Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. “You want to win a game at home, especially when you have a lead late. But it just didn’t work out that way.”
This Finals has become a thrilling series, likely headed for at least six games, and a Game 7 wouldn’t be a surprise. The winner of Game 5 will have a chance to clinch the title in Game 6 in Indianapolis, where the fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be electric.
Both teams talk about how these games are often decided by the small things—who hustles for a loose ball, takes a charge, or sets an important screen.
“We had a lot of guys make winning plays that might not be visible to everyone,” said Thunder center-forward Chet Holmgren. “It doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, and it’s not a highlight that will get replayed. It’s not one single moment.”
Oklahoma City had the advantage at the free-throw line, making five more attempts and hitting nine more than Indiana. “They missed four, we missed eight,” Carlisle pointed out. “The difference of four is significant. A lot of small things added up.”
The Thunder also dominated the boards, grabbing 43 rebounds to the Pacers’ 33, turning 12 offensive rebounds into 23 second-chance points.
“Our inability to rebound effectively when we needed to is the biggest issue,” Carlisle said. “Those second-chance points made it hard, and eventually impossible, to win.”
Now, the series is tied 2-2, with the Thunder regaining home-court advantage. The Pacers will need to win at least one more game on the road to clinch the title against a team that has lost only eight times at home all season.
“It’s going to be tough,” Haliburton said. “But we’ve been resilient all year.”
In a Finals as tight as this one, there’s no time to dwell on disappointment. The focus shifts to the next game.
“This is where we need to dig in, circle the wagons, and come back stronger on Monday,” Carlisle said. “This is a big disappointment, but there are still three games left. This series has extreme highs and lows, and we’ve hit a low right now. We’ll bounce back.”
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