The 2025 NBA Finals have been a
back-and-forth chess match between two young, hungry teams. And
with the series tied at 1-1 heading into Game 3, it was Indiana’s
turn to punch back – this time led by a new name under the
spotlight.
In each Finals game so far, an
unexpected hero has emerged. In Game 1, Lu Dort and Obi Toppin each
hit five threes in a jaw-dropping display. In Game 2, it was Aaron
Wiggins who erupted off the bench for Oklahoma City. Game 3,
however, belonged to Bennedict Mathurin.
Here are our takeaways from Game
3’s electric finish:
The Bennedict Mathurin Game
Every Finals series features a
breakout game – the kind of moment that lives forever in a player’s
career highlight reel. Game 3 was that for Bennedict Mathurin. The
second-year guard played with fearless aggression, attacking
mismatches and knocking down big shots in rhythm.
Mathurin poured in a playoff
career-high 27 points on 9‑for‑12 shooting in just 22 minutes off
the bench – the first 25+ point performance by a Finals reserve
since Jason Terry in 2011, providing the kind of offensive spark
that shifted the energy of the game. His slashing, transition pace,
and ability to finish through contact gave Oklahoma City’s defense
fits.
What made it even more
impressive was the stage. In a chance to go up at home, Mathurin
didn’t blink. He embraced the moment – and owned it.
Turnovers tilt the game
Turnovers have been a recurring
theme throughout these Finals. Game 1 saw the Pacers lose control
with sloppy passes. In Game 2, they cleaned that up – and it was
OKC who capitalized. But in Game 3, the Thunder once again found
themselves sabotaged by their own mistakes.
Oklahoma City committed 17
turnovers – matching their season high – leading to easy runouts
and momentum-shifting plays for the Pacers. Indiana turned those
giveaways into, which made a huge difference in a tightly contested
game.
For a young team built on pace
and rhythm, turnovers are especially costly. They don’t just stop
your offense – they fuel the opponent’s.
Indiana’s bench strikes again
The Pacers’ bench has been a
massive factor in this series, and Game 3 only reinforced that. Led
by Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, and Obi Toppin, Indiana’s second unit
outplayed OKC’s reserves for the second time in three
games.
McConnell controlled tempo,
picked his spots, and brought his usual scrappy defensive presence.
Toppin continued to provide floor spacing and timely cuts. The
Pacers’ bench finished with 49 points, outscoring the Thunder’s
second unit and shifting the game’s momentum every time they
checked in.
For Indiana, this kind of depth
has been a differentiator all postseason – and it’s showing up
again on the biggest stage.
Pacers tweak defensive coverage on SGA
One of the most critical
adjustments Indiana made in Game 3 was its defensive coverage on
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder star had dominated the first
two games by manipulating pick-and-roll coverages with surgical
precision. But Indiana threw him a different look this
time.
“They were higher tonight in the
pick and rolls. They were above the screens,” SGA noted after the
game.
That higher positioning took
away some of his downhill driving lanes and forced him into tougher
midrange pull-ups. While Shai still found ways to impact the game,
scoring 24 points, the defensive tweak clearly disrupted his rhythm
early and helped Indiana build momentum.
Final thoughts
Game 3 proved once again that no
moment is too big for these young Pacers. Between the bench depth,
defensive adjustments, and Mathurin’s coming-out party, Indiana has
seized a 2-1 lead in the series, and the upper hand heading into
Game 4, still in Indianapolis.
For Oklahoma City, it’s back to
the drawing board. The Thunder will need to take better care of the
ball and find new counters for Indiana’s evolving game plan if they
want to tie things up again.
With each game rewriting the
narrative, this Finals continues to deliver – and Game 4 is already
shaping up to be another classic.
