Nelson Morales

Thunder rally to beat Pacers, level NBA Finals at 2-2

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17498757816931749875779421.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round 2 Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 18, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Zach Beeker, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round 2 Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 18, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. <em>Zach Beeker, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP </em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a gritty 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers that leveled the NBA Finals at two games apiece on Friday.</p><p>Frustrated for much of the game by Indiana&#x27;s relentless defense, NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander found a way to fight through.</p><p>He followed a three-pointer with a pull-up jumper to give the Thunder their first lead since the first half with 2:23 remaining.</p><p>They wouldn&#x27;t trail again. Gilgeous-Alexander, who didn&#x27;t get to the free-throw line in the first half, added six free-throws in the final 44 seconds.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a dog fight,&quot; Gilgeous-Alexander said after another intense, physical battle between the two teams. &quot;Every time you step on the floor, on both ends of the floor they make you work.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/6/13/sga-says-fatigue-can-t-be-a-factor-in-nba-finals-1321">&#x27;Suck it up&#x27;: SGA says fatigue can&#x27;t be a factor in NBA Finals<br/></a></div><p>Jalen Williams scored 27 points, Chet Holmgren added 14 points and 15 rebounds and Alex Caruso chipped in with 20 points off the bench for the Thunder.</p><p>Pascal Siakam scored 20 points to lead Indiana, adding eight rebounds, five assists and five steals.</p><p>Tyrese Haliburton scored 18 points, Obi Toppin added 17 off the bench and the Pacers led by 10 late in the third quarter.</p><p>But Oklahoma City -- who dropped back-to-back games just twice this season and haven&#x27;t lost consecutive games in the playoffs -- clamped down defensively in the fourth, determined not to fall in a 3-1 hole.</p><p>&quot;We knew it when we woke up this morning -- 3-1 is a lot different than 2-2 going back home,&quot; Gilgeous-Alexander said. &quot;We played with desperation to the end of the game and that&#x27;s why we won.&quot;</p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder must &quot;maintain the same desperation&quot; when they host game five on Monday.</p><p>The Thunder are seeking their first title since the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, having won it all in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics.</p><p>The Pacers, chasing their first NBA title, struck first in another fast-paced opening quarter in front of their energized fans, making four of their first five shots and building a nine-point lead midway through the opening period.</p><p>Oklahoma hit back, putting together a 9-0 run to tie it, but the Pacers -- with a strong defensive effort on Gilgeous-Alexander and four steals from Pascal Siakam -- emerged from the first period with a 35-34 lead.</p><p>The back and forth battle continued in the second, when Oklahoma City led by as many as six but could never pull away and Haliburton converted a three-point play -- driving through traffic for a layup and making the free throw, his first of the series -- to put Indiana up 60-57 at halftime.</p><p>By then, tensions had already ratcheted up. Toppin was assessed a flagrant foul for a check that sent Alex Caruso sprawling under the basket.</p><p>Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein confronted Toppin and both received technical fouls.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/6/12/pacers-bounce-back-to-down-thunder-to-take-2-1-nba-finals-lead-1259">Pacers bounce back to down Thunder to take 2-1 NBA Finals lead</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Unreal&#x27; Gilgeous-Alexander -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mjzhf0aXXEg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>OKlahoma City&#x27;s Luguentz Dort was later assessed a flagrant foul for swiping an arm over Toppin&#x27;s head.</p><p>Toppin gave Indiana the first double-digit lead of the game with a dunk that put them up 86-76 late in the third.</p><p>But the Thunder dug deep, tying it up four times in the fourth quarter before Gilgeous-Alexander came through.</p><p>&quot;You&#x27;re up seven at home, you&#x27;ve got to dig in and find a way and we were not able to do it tonight,&quot; Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. &quot;But give them credit. They kept attacking, kept attacking, and their defense was great down the stretch.&quot;</p><p>Oklahoma City closed the game on a 12-1 scoring run, and Gilgeous-Alexander was the driving force.</p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s unreal,&quot; Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, although Caruso said nothing Gilgeous-Alexander does surprises him anymore.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve seen him do it night after night,&quot; Caruso said. &quot;He doesn&#x27;t show a lot of emotion on the court, but he&#x27;s one of the most competitive guys in this league.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div></div>

<p>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a gritty 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers that leveled the NBA Finals at two games apiece on Friday.</p>

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a gritty 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers that leveled the NBA Finals at two games apiece on Friday.