Pacers Shock NBA World: Inside Indiana’s Dramatic Playoff Upset and What Comes Next

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers saw their storybook postseason take a dramatic twist Friday as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a 111-104 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, knotting the 2025 NBA Finals at 2-2 and stealing back home-court advantage. H2: Fourth-Quarter Collapse Ends Pacers’ Perfect Home Run Indiana entered the final period with an 87-80 cushion but surrendered a 31-17 run as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander erupted for 15 of his 35 points in the last 12 minutes. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam combined for just 6-for-19 shooting after halftime, and rookie sparkplug Bennedict Mathurin missed three critical free throws while committing two away-from-play fouls that gifted OKC extra possessions. H2: Key Numbers That Decided Game 4 • Rebounding: Thunder +10 (43-33) • 3-Point Shooting: Pacers 10-of-29 (34 %), Thunder 3-of-17 (17.6 %) • Free Throws: Thunder 34-of-38 (89.5 %), Pacers 25-of-33 (75.8 %) Despite a cold perimeter night, Oklahoma City’s relentless crash of the glass and near-perfect work at the stripe flipped the script in crunch time. H2: What Went Wrong for Indiana 1. Paint Protection Lapses – Chet Holmgren’s 14 points and 15 boards highlighted second-chance damage that buried Indiana in the closing minutes. 2. Turnovers – Fifteen giveaways, including six in the fourth, stifled offensive flow and fueled Thunder transition chances. 3. Late-Game Execution – Indiana’s half-court sets stalled, resulting in six straight empty trips while OKC reeled off a 10-2 burst to seize control. H2: Adjustments Coach Rick Carlisle Must Consider • Re-ignite Pace: The Pacers averaged 22 fast-break points in their two wins but mustered only 11 in Game 4. Expect earlier outlet passes from Myles Turner and more push from Haliburton. • Bench Balance: Mathurin’s confidence remains vital; look for staggered minutes with Siakam to ensure a second scorer when starters rest. • Mismatch Hunting: Siakam scored on four straight mid-post isolations against the smaller Jalen Williams in the third quarter. Indiana went away from that look late; re-establishing it could punish OKC’s switching scheme. H2: Game 5 — Date, Time, TV The series shifts to Paycom Center on Monday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC). Historically, teams that win Game 5 of a 2-2 Finals go on to capture the championship 73 % of the time. H2: Pacers’ Path Forward • Haliburton’s Health: The All-NBA guard appeared to tweak his right ankle in the third quarter but finished the game. Early treatment and an extra travel day could be decisive. • Defensive Focus on SGA: Expect more length on Gilgeous-Alexander, potentially slotting Aaron Nesmith and switching less to keep Turner protecting the rim. • Crowd Factor: The Pacers have already won once in Oklahoma City this series. Stealing another could set up an elimination opportunity back home on Thursday. H2: Why the Pacers Still Believe Indiana is 7-2 following a loss this postseason, and Carlisle’s group has thrived on adjustments. Turner emphasized postgame that “our identity is resilience; we’ve answered every punch and we’ll answer this one.” With Siakam’s championship pedigree, Haliburton’s playmaking wizardry, and a bench that ranks first in Finals scoring average (42.3 PPG), the Pacers remain firmly in contention to deliver the franchise’s first NBA title. H2: SEO Takeaway Fans searching “Pacers Thunder Game 5,” “Indiana Pacers adjustments,” and “NBA Finals schedule” will find the latest updates here, including tip-off time, television info, statistical breakdowns, and tactical keys that could swing the remainder of the 2025 NBA Finals.