Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led a stunning fourth-quarter comeback, scoring 35 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night, leveling the NBA Finals series at 2-2.
Trailing by seven points entering the final period, the Thunder outscored the Pacers 31-17 in the fourth, capping the game with a decisive 12-1 run in the final three minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander, this season’s MVP, was instrumental, scoring 15 of Oklahoma City’s last 16 points and going a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.
“I didn’t want to go down not swinging,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, reflecting on the high stakes of the game. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault’s strategic decision to rest his star late in the third quarter, rather than the usual early fourth, paid dividends as Gilgeous-Alexander dominated down the stretch.
Jalen Williams supported with 27 points and seven rebounds, while Alex Caruso added 20 points off the bench. For the Pacers, Pascal Siakam led with 20 points, and Tyrese Haliburton contributed 18. Siakam lamented the team’s late-game struggles, saying, “We just didn’t execute at the end. We missed easy shots, and they made theirs.”
The series now shifts to Oklahoma City for Game 5 at Paycom Center on Monday at 7:30 p.m. CT (1:30 a.m. BST, Tuesday), with both teams vying for a crucial lead in the best-of-seven series.