The Indiana Pacers had a golden opportunity to take control of the NBA Finals on Friday night, but instead let Game 4 slip away in front of their home crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
With a 3-1 series lead within reach — and the chance to move one win away from securing the franchise’s first NBA championship — the Pacers fell 111-104 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana with 18 points and seven assists, but the supporting cast struggled. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin were each held to just eight points, a significant drop-off for Mathurin, who had scored 27 in Game 3.
On the other side, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered when it mattered most. After a quiet start, Gilgeous-Alexander erupted for 15 of Oklahoma City’s final 16 points, erasing a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit to seal the win.
NBA analyst Charles Barkley did not mince words in his postgame commentary on NBA TV.
“They gave it away,” Barkley said. “You saw the difference between All-Star-level players and true superstars. Shai brought this thing home.”
Despite a strong performance from Pascal Siakam — 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists — Barkley was baffled by the Pacers' late-game execution.
“I have no idea what the Pacers were doing on offense,” he continued. “Me and Grant [Hill] were going crazy. Like, ‘Yo man, get it to Siakam — he's your best one-on-one player!’ They didn’t even run a play for him. It was so frustrating. We can say all we want about Oklahoma City — the Pacers blew this game.”
With the series now tied 2-2, the Pacers must regroup quickly if they hope to keep their championship hopes alive.
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