2025 NBA Finals Game Four Spotlight: Can Indiana Repeat Their Game Three Performance?

The Indiana Pacers hold a 2-1 lead going into Friday night's Game Four matchup in Indiana. Although the Oklahoma City Thunder will enter as five-and-a-half-point favorites, the Pacers have defied odds thus far, stealing two games as the underdog. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton answered critics in Game Three, showing his aggressiveness early on and setting the fast pace that troubled the Thunder. Game Four’s outcome likely decides the series and will be a season-defining game for both teams.

Can the Oklahoma City Thunder Afford to Drop Game Four on the Road?

The Oklahoma City Thunder have faced adversity and doubts this season, but falling behind 3-1 in the NBA Finals would surely be their biggest challenge yet. With their youthful squad, stealing Game Four and regaining the home-court advantage is vital to keep their title hopes alive. Forwards Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams have found their rhythm after poor Game One performances, but still have yet to deliver strong fourth quarter performances. OKC’s struggles offensively in the fourth quarters of Game One and Game Three have been a key factor in their losses in those games, with seemingly only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander providing offense. As the Indiana Pacers showcased their high pace in Game Three, OKC will need their bench unit to provide strong performances to give SGA, in particular, some much-needed rest.

Can the Pacers Sustain Their Game Three Play?

For the first time in this series, the Indiana Pacers have found their stride. Implementing their fast-paced offense and tenacious transition defense, guards T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard provided big minutes in the first half to weather a strong OKC run. Pacers second-year player Bennedict Mathurin had a stand-out performance, totaling a playoff career-high 27 points and leading all in Pacers scoring. The Pacers will need repeat performances from their role players if they are going to take a commanding 3-1 lead and put them one game away from their first ever NBA Championship.

A Potentially Series-Defining Game Four

After the Indiana Pacers halted the Oklahoma City Thunder’s momentum in Game Three, they had a chance to capitalize on their budding confidence and protect their home-court advantage. A Game Four win would give them a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, a deficit only the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers have come back from. Familiar with 2-1 comebacks in these playoffs, Oklahoma City has a chance to silence critics of their own with a win Friday night. With everything on the line, Friday could level the series or put the Indiana Pacers on the brink of their first-ever NBA title.