INDIANAPOLIS — Oklahoma City finds itself in a familiar position.
Down 2-1, just like they were a month ago against the Nuggets. The Thunder had to rally back then, winning a hard-fought Game 4 on the road, highlighted by Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins sparking a late-game surge to keep their playoff hopes alive.
This time it's the Indiana Pacers on the other side, promising a vastly different challenge in the NBA Finals. Yet, past experiences give Oklahoma City a sense of resilience heading into this pivotal game.
"We've been here before. Got to bounce back. Get the car back on the road," Wallace remarked confidently.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander echoed the sentiment, observing, "Yeah, it feels a lot similar. We've faced buzzer-beaters, had big wins, and tough losses. But to win, we need to stick to who we are and what got us here."
For the Thunder, returning to form means safeguarding possession—something they struggled with, turning the ball over 19 times in their Game 3 setback—three being costly backcourt errors.
"We can't afford turnovers like that," admitted Wallace, emphasizing the need for tighter ball control.
Another aspect involves rediscovering their rhythm of ball movement, which stagnated under intense defensive scrutiny from Indiana, forcing Oklahoma into isolation play.
"We played more on their terms," shared Alex Caruso. "That was evident in the runs they made."
Impressive defensive work from the Pacers, especially in transition, has limited the Thunder's typical free-flowing offense.
"We've missed a lot of our transition chances," acknowledged Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. "That’s where we do damage, and it hasn’t happened this series."
Yet, the Pacers have thrived in this exact situation too, leading each series this postseason 2-1 and clinching Game 4 victories consistently.
"Excited to play at home again," said Tyrese Haliburton. "We approach it the same—control what we can, play hard, and everything sorts itself out."
Settling Game 4 will be crucial. A win by Indiana could assert dominance, while a Thunder victory would shift the momentum ahead of a home advantage in what would then be a best-of-three showdown.
