112 — 114
Indiana owned the opening stretch
The Pacers built the game exactly the way a road team wants to build it: quickly, cleanly and with enough shot-making to quiet the building. Tyrese Haliburton set the tone in the first quarter with three made 3-pointers in a span of 91 seconds, and Indiana paired that burst with steady inside finishing from Ivica Zubac to move in front 33-25 after one.
That control only grew in the second quarter. Haliburton kept scoring off the dribble and in transition, Zubac continued to finish around the rim, and Kelly Oubre Jr. stretched the margin to 52-32 with a 3-pointer at the 7:14 mark. By then Indiana had reached its largest lead of the night, and the game looked ready to turn into a comfortable Pacers win.
Instead, Oklahoma City found a counter before halftime. Jalen Williams started the push, Jared McCain supplied the perimeter punch, and Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and Aday Mara all chipped in during a 27-9 response. What had been a runaway became a one-possession game by the break, with the Thunder trailing only 61-59.
The game kept changing hands
The third quarter became a test of who could answer last. Jay Huff opened the half with a 3-pointer for Indiana, but Oklahoma City kept walking the score back. Mara's pair of free throws at 7:07 put the Thunder ahead 70-69, their first lead since the opening minutes, and the building finally had a game again rather than a chase.
That advantage did not hold for long, because Indiana still had enough shot-making to push back. Oubre scored twice in the lane, Quenton Jackson attacked for a layup, and Kobe Brown converted a three-point play after Huff's third 3-pointer of the night had already helped keep the Pacers close. Yet every Indiana answer met another Oklahoma City one, and McCain's step-back 3 at 5:08 helped drive the Thunder to an 85-84 edge through three quarters.
The fourth quarter followed the same pattern. Oklahoma City stretched the margin to 94-87 after baskets from Kenrich Williams, Otega Oweh and Brooks Barnhizer, but Indiana did not go away. Rienk Mast drilled a 3 to cut it to one, Brown made free throws to tie and then edge the Pacers ahead, and after Barnhizer restored a two-point Thunder lead in the final minute, Brown answered again with a tying basket with 5.6 seconds left. Regulation ended at 100-100, and Oklahoma City took the extra session 14-12 to finish the rally.
Our take: Oklahoma City survived the part of the game it did not control
The surprising part of this result is not that the Thunder had enough scorers to come back. It is that they won despite getting beaten so thoroughly on the glass. Indiana collected 17 offensive rebounds and held a clear rebounding edge overall, the kind of profile that usually decides a close game. What flipped the math was ball security. The Pacers committed 27 turnovers, and Oklahoma City turned those mistakes into 33 points.
That is the frustration Indiana will carry from this one. A team that led by 20 and took 100 shots still lost because too many possessions ended without a finish. Haliburton's early scoring binge gave the Pacers command, and their work inside created second chances all night, but the Thunder were sharper with the possessions they kept. Oklahoma City shot 47.8 per cent from the field to Indiana's 43.0 and matched the Pacers with 14 made 3-pointers while needing fewer attempts, 39 instead of 47.
Oklahoma City leaves with its own warning signs. A comeback win should not hide how much it gave up in the first half or how vulnerable it looked on the boards. Still, there was real substance to the recovery: McCain hit six 3-pointers before overtime, Mara gave the Thunder needed interior finishing, and the team kept forcing live-ball mistakes even while trailing. In a game with 12 lead changes and only a two-point final margin, that pressure mattered more than the early deficit.
Scoring moments
- 1st Quarter · 11:23
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot (Jalen Williams assists)
- 1st Quarter · 11:12
Kelly Oubre Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 11:12
Kelly Oubre Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 10:48
Ivica Zubac makes 2-foot dunk
- 1st Quarter · 10:13
Cason Wallace makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)
- 1st Quarter · 10:00
Tyrese Haliburton makes 14-foot pullup jump shot (Ivica Zubac assists)
- 1st Quarter · 9:05
Cason Wallace makes running layup
- 1st Quarter · 8:32
Tyrese Haliburton makes 26-foot three pointer (Ivica Zubac assists)
- 1st Quarter · 8:08
Tyrese Haliburton makes 34-foot three point jumper (Kelly Oubre Jr. assists)
- 1st Quarter · 7:37
Ivica Zubac makes 2-foot two point shot (Pascal Siakam assists)
- 1st Quarter · 7:29
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes free throw 1 of 1
- 1st Quarter · 7:01
Tyrese Haliburton makes 24-foot three pointer (Ivica Zubac assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:27
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 6:27
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 6:15
Ivica Zubac makes layup (Tyrese Haliburton assists)
- 1st Quarter · 6:15
Ivica Zubac makes free throw 1 of 1
- 1st Quarter · 6:01
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes 13-foot fade away jump shot
- 1st Quarter · 5:03
Obi Toppin makes two point shot (Tyrese Haliburton assists)
- 1st Quarter · 4:36
Larry Nance Jr. makes layup
- 1st Quarter · 4:24
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes driving layup
- 1st Quarter · 3:32
Larry Nance Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Quenton Jackson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 3:15
Obi Toppin makes running layup (Quenton Jackson assists)
- 1st Quarter · 2:55
Kenrich Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 2:16
Pascal Siakam makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 2:16
Pascal Siakam makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 2:00
Kenrich Williams makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jared McCain assists)
- 1st Quarter · 1:34
Jared McCain makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:34
Jared McCain makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Quarter · 1:08
Jared McCain makes 23-foot three point jumper (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)
- 1st Quarter · 27.0
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes 1-foot two point shot
- 1st Quarter · 10.8
Obi Toppin makes two point shot (Quenton Jackson assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 11:41
Tyrese Haliburton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Quarter · 11:11
Jalen Williams makes dunk (Isaiah Hartenstein assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 10:36
Tyrese Haliburton makes driving layup
- 2nd Quarter · 10:30
Jared McCain makes 24-foot three pointer (Jalen Williams assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 10:17
Ivica Zubac makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Pascal Siakam assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 9:56
Tyrese Haliburton makes running layup
- 2nd Quarter · 9:23
Ivica Zubac makes 13-foot floating jump shot (Tyrese Haliburton assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 8:51
Tyrese Haliburton makes 24-foot three pointer
- 2nd Quarter · 8:23
Pascal Siakam makes 14-foot fade away jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 7:55
Pascal Siakam makes alley oop layup (Ivica Zubac assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 7:36
Alex Caruso makes 1-foot layup (Isaiah Hartenstein assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 7:14
Kelly Oubre Jr. makes 22-foot three point jumper (Ivica Zubac assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 7:02
Jalen Williams makes 10-foot fade away jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 6:17
Bennett Stirtz makes 10-foot fade away jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 5:57
Alex Caruso makes running layup
- 2nd Quarter · 5:20
Cason Wallace makes 24-foot three point jumper (Alex Caruso assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:55
Aday Mara makes running layup (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:29
Alex Caruso makes two point shot (Cason Wallace assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:10
Tyrese Haliburton makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Pascal Siakam assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 4:10
Tyrese Haliburton makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Quarter · 3:53
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes 19-foot step back jumpshot
- 2nd Quarter · 3:10
Jared McCain makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jalen Williams assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 2:56
Tyrese Haliburton makes 15-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 2:33
Jalen Williams makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Quarter · 1:20
Ivica Zubac makes 9-foot floating jump shot (Pascal Siakam assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 1:06
Jared McCain makes 24-foot three point jumper (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 41.2
Obi Toppin makes tip in dunk
- 2nd Quarter · 37.9
Jalen Williams makes 25-foot three point jumper (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)
- 2nd Quarter · 21.3
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 10:39
Jay Huff makes 23-foot three point jumper (Kobe Brown assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 10:19
Aday Mara makes dunk (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 10:03
Jalen Williams makes running layup
- 3rd Quarter · 9:50
Jay Huff makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kelly Oubre Jr. assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 9:08
Jalen Williams makes layup (Aday Mara assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 8:13
Jalen Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 7:57
Kelly Oubre Jr. makes driving layup (Quenton Jackson assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 7:44
Jalen Williams makes 12-foot two point shot
- 3rd Quarter · 7:07
Aday Mara makes free throw 1 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 7:07
Aday Mara makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 6:51
Kelly Oubre Jr. makes 11-foot driving floating jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 6:28
Aday Mara makes 2-foot two point shot
- 3rd Quarter · 5:59
Aday Mara makes 1-foot dunk (Jared McCain assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 5:36
Jared McCain makes 23-foot running pullup jump shot
- 3rd Quarter · 5:17
Jay Huff makes tip in dunk
- 3rd Quarter · 5:08
Jared McCain makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 3rd Quarter · 4:53
Kelly Oubre Jr. makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jalen Slawson assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 4:33
Quenton Jackson makes running layup
- 3rd Quarter · 4:13
Josh Dix makes two point shot
- 3rd Quarter · 4:01
Jay Huff makes 25-foot three point jumper (Quenton Jackson assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 3:13
Kobe Brown makes driving layup (Braden Smith assists)
- 3rd Quarter · 3:13
Kobe Brown makes free throw 1 of 1
- 3rd Quarter · 2:36
Bennett Stirtz makes free throw 2 of 2
- 3rd Quarter · 1:55
Otega Oweh makes driving layup
- 4th Quarter · 11:33
Otega Oweh makes two point shot
- 4th Quarter · 10:19
Quenton Jackson makes 26-foot three point jumper (Jay Huff assists)
- 4th Quarter · 8:54
Kenrich Williams makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 4th Quarter · 7:57
Otega Oweh makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 7:57
Otega Oweh makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 7:24
Brooks Barnhizer makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot (Anthony Pritchard assists)
- 4th Quarter · 6:11
Kobe Brown makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 5:16
Braden Smith makes two point shot (Jalen Slawson assists)
- 4th Quarter · 4:41
Rienk Mast makes 22-foot three point jumper (Braden Smith assists)
- 4th Quarter · 3:50
Kobe Brown makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 3:50
Kobe Brown makes free throw 2 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 3:35
Bennett Stirtz makes 28-foot three point jumper (Anthony Pritchard assists)
- 4th Quarter · 2:35
Kobe Brown makes layup
- 4th Quarter · 2:26
Bennett Stirtz makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 1:18
Braden Smith makes free throw 1 of 2
- 4th Quarter · 35.9
Brooks Barnhizer makes 2-foot hook shot
- 4th Quarter · 5.6
Kobe Brown makes two point shot (Braden Smith assists)
- OT · 4:48
Otega Oweh makes 10-foot two point shot (Brooks Barnhizer assists)
- OT · 3:25
Keba Keita makes two point shot
- OT · 3:03
Zhaire Smith makes 19-foot pullup jump shot
- OT · 2:12
Rienk Mast makes 27-foot three point jumper (Braden Smith assists)
- OT · 1:57
Brooks Barnhizer makes 25-foot three point jumper (Zhaire Smith assists)
- OT · 1:47
Keba Keita makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Braden Smith assists)
- OT · 1:32
Christoph Tilly makes 2-foot two point shot (Anthony Pritchard assists)
- OT · 1:24
Braden Smith makes 15-foot two point shot
- OT · 1:14
Zhaire Smith makes 26-foot three point jumper (Brooks Barnhizer assists)
- OT · 1:02
Rienk Mast makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jalen Slawson assists)
- OT · 45.6
Zhaire Smith makes 19-foot pullup jump shot
Indiana Pacers — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascal Siakam | 21 | 6 | 2-11 | 0-4 | 2-2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +5 |
| Ivica Zubac | 18 | 13 | 6-7 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 2 | +11 |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | 20 | 12 | 4-9 | 2-5 | 2-2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +6 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 18 | 24 | 9-14 | 4-6 | 2-3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +11 |
| Ben Sheppard | 19 | 0 | 0-3 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +7 |
| James Johnson | 3 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 |
| Larry Nance Jr. | 13 | 5 | 2-4 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 |
| Obi Toppin | 16 | 8 | 4-7 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | -14 |
| Jalen Slawson | 33 | 0 | 0-5 | 0-5 | 0-0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Jay Huff | 13 | 11 | 4-7 | 3-5 | 0-1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -4 |
| Kobe Brown | 30 | 10 | 3-6 | 0-2 | 4-6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | -8 |
| Quenton Jackson | 16 | 5 | 2-6 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -18 |
| Braden Smith | 16 | 5 | 2-9 | 0-5 | 1-2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | +5 |
| Rienk Mast | 20 | 9 | 3-8 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | -4 |
| Keba Keita | 10 | 4 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -5 |
Oklahoma City Thunder — Players
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | OREB | DREB | PF | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Hartenstein | 13 | 0 | 0-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -11 |
| Alex Caruso | 15 | 6 | 3-5 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -8 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 23 | 15 | 5-6 | 1-1 | 4-5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +11 |
| Jalen Williams | 21 | 16 | 7-14 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | -11 |
| Cason Wallace | 20 | 7 | 3-7 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +8 |
| Brooks Barnhizer | 21 | 7 | 3-8 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 |
| Andrew Holifield | 7 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 |
| Christoph Tilly | 4 | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aday Mara | 19 | 10 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +12 |
| Kenrich Williams | 19 | 7 | 2-8 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +6 |
| Zhaire Smith | 5 | 7 | 3-3 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +2 |
| Jared McCain | 19 | 20 | 6-13 | 6-12 | 2-2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -1 |
| Anthony Pritchard | 14 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +2 |
| Josh Dix | 24 | 2 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +6 |
| Otega Oweh | 15 | 8 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +6 |
| Bennett Stirtz | 25 | 7 | 2-6 | 1-4 | 2-4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | -8 |
Indiana Pacers — Team statistics
| FG | 43-100 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 43 |
| 3PT | 14-47 |
| Three Point % | 30 |
| FT | 12-17 |
| Free Throw % | 71 |
| Rebounds | 63 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 19 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 44 |
| Assists | 29 |
| Steals | 9 |
| Blocks | 6 |
| Turnovers | 27 |
| Team Turnovers | 1 |
| Total Turnovers | 28 |
| Technical Fouls | 1 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 1 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 33 |
| Fast Break Points | 11 |
| Points in Paint | 48 |
| Fouls | 25 |
| Largest Lead | 20 |
| Lead Changes | 14 |
| Percent Led | 55 |
Oklahoma City Thunder — Team statistics
| FG | 43-90 |
|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 48 |
| 3PT | 14-39 |
| Three Point % | 36 |
| FT | 14-21 |
| Free Throw % | 67 |
| Rebounds | 39 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 3 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 36 |
| Assists | 22 |
| Steals | 14 |
| Blocks | 5 |
| Turnovers | 16 |
| Team Turnovers | 0 |
| Total Turnovers | 16 |
| Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 17 |
| Fast Break Points | 16 |
| Points in Paint | 44 |
| Fouls | 25 |
| Largest Lead | 7 |
| Lead Changes | 14 |
| Percent Led | 37 |