Keypoints Summary
- Thunder ties NBA Finals with dramatic 108โ103 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 2โ2
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-Alexanderโs relentless scoring, the Thunder clawed their way back to stun the Indiana Pacers 108โ103 in front of a home crowd that went from nervous to nuclear in mere minutes.
Shai didnโt just show up. He took over. He scored 14 of the teamโs 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 worldโtheyโre not going anywhere.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderโs 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 Shaiโs time when it mattered most.
He finished with 36 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. But the numbers donโt 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 didnโt 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.
โHeโs cold. Cold-blooded,โ said teammate Chet Holmgren postgame. โWhen the lights go up, he goes higher.โ
And thatโs exactly what happened.
Thunder Bench Steps Up When It Counts
While SGA stole the spotlight, he didnโt do it alone.
The Thunder ties NBA Finals story doesnโt 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 everywhereโdiving for loose balls, contesting every shot, and grabbing two key rebounds in the final minute.
The Thunderโs 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 3โ1 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.
โWe let it slip,โ he admitted. โThey earned it. We didnโt finish.โ
What This Means Heading Into Game 5
Game 5 just became massive.
With the series tied 2โ2 and momentum now in Oklahoma Cityโs corner, both teams head into the next matchup knowing one thingโthis isnโt just a battle of talent. Itโs about heart.
Thunder ties NBA Finals isnโt just a stat. Itโs a statement.
That statement? Weโre 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 isnโt over. Itโs just beginning.
Game 5 Preview: Momentum vs. Home Court
With the series now tied 2โ2, Thunder ties NBA Finals is more than just a headlineโitโs a warning shot. And Game 5? Itโs 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 OKCโs depth. Rick Carlisle is likely to throw new defensive looks at Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderโpossibly even full-court pressure earlyโto 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 scriptโand if they can steal Game 5, they return home for Game 6 with a chance to win it all.
The stakes couldnโt 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 isnโt just Game 5. Itโs a gut check.
And with confidence flowing and a fearless young roster, donโt be surprised if the Thunder strike again.