The Oklahoma City Thunder tied the NBA Finals at two wins apiece with a much-needed 111-104 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 on Friday.
Both squads were in a groove early and put up points with ease. While the Thunder’s offense is nothing to scoff at, a shootout is not ideal when facing this Pacers team. Indiana’s balanced offense narrowly outscored OKC in the first half and held on to a three-point halftime lead.
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For the second game in a row, Indiana’s defense looked particularly strong against OKC’s surgical offense. The Pacers led by as many as ten, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led a strong late-game rally to close the gap.
The Pacers made a few costly mistakes down the stretch and allowed OKC to secure the win with free throws. Despite shooting just 17.6% from deep, the Thunder held on to tie the series 2-2.
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SGA struggled for much of the matchup, but flipped the switch in the final quarter. He finished with 35 points on 50% shooting while Jalen Williams put up 27 points and seven rebounds.
Pascal Siakam had 20 points, eight rebounds and five steals for Indiana as Haliburton finished with 18 points and seven assists.
It was a gritty and physical battle, but the series will return to Oklahoma City on Monday for a huge Game 5.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
