Leave it to Indiana’s bench to swing the biggest game of the season. With the starters fading and the game hanging in the balance, Bennedict Mathurin and TJ McConnell turned Gainbridge Fieldhouse into a madhouse, leading the Pacers past the Thunder 116–107 on Wednesday night to seize a 2–1 lead in the NBA finals.
Mathurin poured in 27 points off the bench and McConnell was all over the court – diving for loose balls, snatching steals, dishing dimes – as Indiana overwhelmed Oklahoma City with a 32–18 fourth quarter. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 49–18 in bench points and closed the game on a 22–8 run, flipping a five-point deficit into a win that puts them two victories from their first NBA title.
