Indiana Pacers 116 - 107 Oklahoma City Thunder
The Indiana Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3, showcasing their resilience by winning every game following a loss since mid-March. Bennedict Mathurin led the offense with 27 points off the bench, while Tyrese Haliburton nearly achieved a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds. Indiana enjoyed a commanding 49-18 advantage in bench points, highlighted by TJ McConnell's historic performance off the bench with 10 points, five assists, and five steals — a Finals first. Despite trailing by five entering the fourth quarter, the Pacers dominated the final stretch, outscoring the Thunder 32-18 and holding them to 35% shooting. Historically, the Game 3 winner in a tied Finals series has gone on to win the championship 80.5% of the time, putting the Pacers in a favorable position. The game featured an astonishing 15 ties, contrasting sharply with last year's entire five-game Finals series, which only saw 13 ties. The Thunder, previously dominant in the regular season when leading into the fourth quarter, have now struggled in this series, underscoring Indiana's strong finishing ability backed by the support of a star-studded home crowd. Game 4 will take place in Indiana on Friday night.

Box Score, Gamecast