Thunder Ties NBA Finals: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Stuns Pacers

Keypoints Summary

  • Thunder ties NBA Finals with dramatic 108โ€“103 win over Pacers in Game 4
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops 36 points, dominates final stretch
  • OKC overcomes 12-point deficit late in fourth quarter
  • Pacers stunned as crowd erupts in final minutes
  • Game 5 now becomes a must-watch with series tied 2โ€“2

Thunder Ties NBA Finals With Stunning Game 4 Comeback

Oklahoma City is alive.

Thunder ties NBA Finals โ€” and what a wild, breathtaking, electric ride it was. Game 4 delivered all the drama, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? He delivered the dagger.

Down double digits with just under eight minutes left, OKC looked gassed. Flat. Finished. But then came the storm.

Led by Gilgeous-Alexanderโ€™s relentless scoring, the Thunder clawed their way back to stun the Indiana Pacers 108โ€“103 in front of a home crowd that went from nervous to nuclear in mere minutes.

Shai didnโ€™t just show up. He took over. He scored 14 of the teamโ€™s final 18 points. Every step-back jumper. Every drive. And Every free throw. Pure fire.

This was no fluke. This was will. And it shifted the series.

Now, everything resets.

The Finals are tied. The pressure is even. And Oklahoma City just reminded the worldโ€”theyโ€™re not going anywhere.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderโ€™s Fourth-Quarter Heroics

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially entered legend mode.

In a game where nothing came easy and the Pacers controlled the tempo for most of the night, it was Shaiโ€™s time when it mattered most.

He finished with 36 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. But the numbers donโ€™t tell the whole story. It was the when and how that defined his night.

Down by 12 with 7:53 on the clock, SGA took the game personally. He hit a high-arcing three over a double team. Then a spin-move layup through contact. Then a midrange dagger that kissed off the glass.

Every bucket felt like a message.

And Indiana had no answers.

The Pacers rotated defenders. They trapped. They tried switching. It didnโ€™t matter. Gilgeous-Alexander slowed down, surveyed the court, and picked his moment like a sniper.

When he drew an and-one foul with 1:11 left, the building shook.

โ€œHeโ€™s cold. Cold-blooded,โ€ said teammate Chet Holmgren postgame. โ€œWhen the lights go up, he goes higher.โ€

And thatโ€™s exactly what happened.

Thunder Bench Steps Up When It Counts

While SGA stole the spotlight, he didnโ€™t do it alone.

The Thunder ties NBA Finals story doesnโ€™t happen without big minutes from the bench.

Jalen Williams brought his usual burst off the dribble and finished with 18 points. His third-quarter push kept the Thunder in striking distance.

Isaiah Joe hit two clutch threes when the team was flailing. Josh Giddey, though quiet on offense, played hounding defense and controlled tempo down the stretch.

But perhaps the unsung hero? Lu Dort.

He was everywhereโ€”diving for loose balls, contesting every shot, and grabbing two key rebounds in the final minute.

The Thunderโ€™s depth was supposed to be their weakness in this series. But tonight? It was the reason they survived.

Pacers Collapse Under Pressure

For 40 minutes, the Indiana Pacers looked ready to take a 3โ€“1 stranglehold on the series.

Tyrese Haliburton had 24 points and 9 assists. Pascal Siakam added 21. And Myles Turner dominated the paint early, rejecting four shots and keeping OKC out of rhythm.

But down the stretch? They froze.

Missed free throws. Turnovers. Poor shot selection.

And when they needed stops, they gave up buckets.

Their 12-point cushion vanished in a blink. And the final possession? A broken play that ended in a wild fadeaway miss.

Head coach Rick Carlisle looked stunned postgame.

โ€œWe let it slip,โ€ he admitted. โ€œThey earned it. We didnโ€™t finish.โ€

What This Means Heading Into Game 5

Game 5 just became massive.

With the series tied 2โ€“2 and momentum now in Oklahoma Cityโ€™s corner, both teams head into the next matchup knowing one thingโ€”this isnโ€™t just a battle of talent. Itโ€™s about heart.

Thunder ties NBA Finals isnโ€™t just a stat. Itโ€™s a statement.

That statement? Weโ€™re ready. We belong.

And if SGA keeps this up, the Thunder might just shock the world.

The next game will be in Indiana, and the Pacers will have to bounce back fast. Otherwise, the youngest team in the NBA could be heading toward an improbable title run.

Thunder Roars Back, NBA Finals Shift

Thunder Roars Back, NBA Finals Shift

And Thunder ties NBA Finals with a moment that will live in Oklahoma City history.

It was gritty. It was loud. And It was magic.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stood tall when everything was on the line. And now, the Finals are wide open.

This isnโ€™t over. Itโ€™s just beginning.

Game 5 Preview: Momentum vs. Home Court

With the series now tied 2โ€“2, Thunder ties NBA Finals is more than just a headlineโ€”itโ€™s a warning shot. And Game 5? Itโ€™s the war.

All eyes now shift to Indianapolis, where the Pacers will host what could be the most pivotal matchup of the series. After letting Game 4 slip through their fingers, the pressure is firmly on Indiana to protect home court and regain control.

Expect the Pacers to come out aggressive. Tyrese Haliburton will look to bounce back after fading late in Game 4. Pascal Siakam must reclaim the paint, and the bench unit needs to bring more energy to slow down OKCโ€™s depth. Rick Carlisle is likely to throw new defensive looks at Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderโ€”possibly even full-court pressure earlyโ€”to disrupt his rhythm.

But the Thunder are riding high. Shai is peaking, Jalen Williams is finding his groove, and Chet Holmgren continues to anchor the defense. Oklahoma City knows they just flipped the scriptโ€”and if they can steal Game 5, they return home for Game 6 with a chance to win it all.

The stakes couldnโ€™t be higher. The crowd will be loud. The pace will be insane. And whoever controls the first five minutes may control the next chapter of this Finals story.

This isnโ€™t just Game 5. Itโ€™s a gut check.

And with confidence flowing and a fearless young roster, donโ€™t be surprised if the Thunder strike again.

TOP HEADLINES
USLive
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.