Friday | 8 p.m. ET | Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
They said Indiana couldn’t. They said a heavily underdog Pacers squad—facing down a Thunder team led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—had no prayer in the NBA Finals. Yet here we are: the Pacers lead the series, 2–1, and stand on the brink of one of the greatest upsets in Finals history.
Why Indiana Rules the Fourth Quarter
Last night’s 116–107 Game 3 triumph was pure Pacers alchemy:
- Tyrese Haliburton: 22 pts (9-17 FG, 4-8 3PM), 9 reb, 11 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl in 36 min. He’s mastered “the clutch,” delivering playmaking and perimeter pop when it matters most.
- Bennedict Mathurin: Turned into a one-man wrecking crew, leading all scorers with fearless drives and pull-up threes. When his number’s called, he answers with style.
- T.J. McConnell: Energy incarnate—5 stls (three in a rousing second-quarter flurry), 10 pts, 5 ast in 15 minutes. He sparked the home crowd and ignited the second-unit.
Where OKC Fell Short
Shai Gal’s line—24 pts (9-20 FG), 8 reb, 4 ast, 3 blk—looked solid on paper. But dig deeper and you find a superstar dialed down to 33% shooting in the fourth. The Pacers schemed him into an off-night, switching screens, crowding the paint, and forcing throws into traffic.
Jalen Williams offered glimpses but couldn’t match Indiana’s depth. Chet Holmgren—20 pts, 10 reb—did what he could, yet even his inside flashes were met by Helfrichian resistance at the rim.
Game 4 X-Factors
| Pacers | Thunder |
|---|---|
| Haliburton | Can he sustain 30-plus usage without the legs? A nagging knee tweak threatens his burst. |
| Mathurin & McConnell | Consistency from the second unit—keep draining open looks and buzzing the passing lanes. |
| Home Court | Fortress Indianapolis—the crowd’s roar must drown out every OKC pick-and-roll. |
| Gilgeous-Alexander | Holmgren |
|---|---|
| Bounce-back performance off the Game 3 clunker. His teammates need to feed him early. | Dominance in the paint—if he clears the glass and punishes mismatches, OKC can exploit Indiana’s smaller lineup. |
Can Oklahoma Storm Back?
The Thunder are facing their biggest challenge this season! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander must snap out of his sleepwalking, and OKC’s bench—so far outgunned—has to emerge as the X-factor. If Kenrich, Jalen, or Isaiah Roby can crack 15 points tonight, the tide could turn.
Our Mystic Edge
LuckyPik called Pacers +5.5 in Game 3—and cashed in handsomely. Tonight, our proprietary model blends Fibonacci sequences with ancient probability lore to deliver Indiana –3.0 at home. Will the underdog story deepen?
See tonight’s full LuckyPik prediction
In this clash of grit and glory, Indiana’s home-court furnace may be just hot enough to snuff out Oklahoma’s championship flame. But the Thunder possess the firepower to ignite a comeback. Whatever happens, Game 4 promises high stakes, high drama—and a shot at basketball immortality.
Place your bets wisely. Trust your edge. Embrace the luck.
Success is born from the relentless spirit that refuses to surrender. When you believe deeply in your purpose and push forward with unwavering determination, every setback becomes a stepping stone. Never give up—because champions are made not by talent alone, but by the courage to keep moving when others quit.
LuckyBets.com
