The Indiana bench shines while the pacers exceed the Thunder late for 2-1 advance in the NBA final | NBA finals

Leave the Indiana bench to swing the biggest match of the season. With the beginners who come and the game suspended in the scale, Bennedict Mathurin and TJ McConnell transformed Gainbridge Fieldhouse into a crazy house, leading the pacers after the Thunder 116-107 Wednesday evening to take a 2 to 1 advance in the NBA final.

Mathurin paid 27 points from the bench and McConnell was everywhere on the ground – diving for bulk bullets, tearing off the fly, while Indiana overwhelmed Oklahoma City with a fourth quarter of 32 to 18 years. The Pacers outstripped the Thunder 49–18 in bench points and closed the match on a 22 to 8 race, overthrowing a deficit of five points in a victory that puts two victories from their first NBA title for them.

“We just played guys after the games,” said Tyrese Haliburton. “Our bench was incredible.”

Haliburton finished with 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Pascal Siakam added 21 points and the basket that practically sealed it: a smooth driving at the edge with 1:09 on the left to stretch the advance of Indiana at 112-104.

The Thunder, which had taken an advance of 89–84 in the fourth quarter, was surpassed and exceeded in the section. They pulled only 35.3% in the last period, went 0 for 4 to three points and committed five reversals. Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 26 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 more and Chet Holmgren had 20 points and 10 rebounds, but went 0 for 6 of Deep.

The Indiana bench provided the bursting. McConnell equaled the match at 95 at the start of the fourth by intercepting the pass of Inbounds by Alex Caruso under the basket and turning a lay-up. During the next trip, he nourished Mathurin for a three -corner corner to give the head of the Indiana.

After a brief rest, Haliburton returned, took a transfer to the top of the key and pierced his fourth triple of the night to do 101–98 with 6:42 on the left. Then came a dam: the Pull of the elbow of Andrew Nembhard, the Dunkirk of Obi Toppin’s presentation, the jump-out of Aaron Nesmith and another Mathurin float. The Pacers had transformed a track meeting into a flight.

Thanks to Mathurin’s score and the defensive activity of McConnell – he finished with 10 points, five assists and five interceptions – Indiana checked the pace and exceeded Oklahoma City in the moments that were most.

“So many different guys have entered,” said Haliburton.

McConnell also made games earlier in the fourth, hitting a right-handed lay-up between two buckets of Mathurin to keep Indiana near 93–91. When the Pacers finally pierced, they never returned.

However, Oklahoma City had one last blow. With 2:35 to play and Indiana at the top of 110 to 102, Caruso stole a pass and slipped into the open field. As he entered the painting, Nesmith encountered him with a hard fault with two hands that sent Caruso sprawling. The officials examined the play, but finally judged that it was a common fault. Caruso made the two free throws, and on the next game, Myles Turner lost the ball out of the limits.

But Turner quickly expired, stuffing Holmgren twice on the verge of the possession that followed. Indiana obtained another stop and the Siakam lay-up put the game for good.

Victory has extended a remarkable trend: the Pacers have now had 10-0 since mid-March in matches after a defeat.

Oklahoma City had used a burst at the end of the third quarter, underlined by a stage of Williams Three and Holmgren and a basic dunk, to take their biggest lead in half-time. But they could not keep the bench of the Indiana contained in the first match of the NBA final of the Pacers since 2000.

Match 4 is Friday evening in Indianapolis, where the Pacers can take a lead in the 3-1 series. Historically, the teams won match 3 of an equal NBA final won the title 80.5% of the time.