By Kondwani Mzumara

Sports Capital Journalism Program

INDIANAPOLIS — It was a pivotal moment for both teams in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The Indiana Pacers would take a commanding 3-1 lead, or the Oklahoma City Thunder would tie the series. Led by their signature defensive play and the dominance of Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the decisive minutes, the Thunder managed to come back on the road to win Game 4, 111-104.

The victory helped the Thunder regain home-court advantage going into Game 5 at Oklahoma City on Monday night. A 12-1 run in the final 2:58 abruptly canceled a celebration at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and helped the Thunder avoid a deficit that has been overcome just once, by the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, in the history of the Finals.

The previous three road teams to tie a Finals series 2-2 – the 2022 and 2015 Golden State Warriors and the 2013 Miami Heat – went on to win championships.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his game-high 35 points in the final 4:38. He became the first player to score that many points in the last five minutes of regulation in an NBA Finals game since 1971.

“I knew what it would have looked like if we lost tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I didn’t want to go out not swinging. I didn’t want to go out not doing everything I could do in my power, in my control to try to win the game.

“The guys deserve that much from me,” he went on. “The coaching staff deserves that much from me. I just tried to be aggressive, but also let the game come to me, not try to force anything too crazy. I guess it paid off.”

The Pacers were the ones controlling the game most of the night, getting off to a roaring start in the first as they jumped out to an early 20-12 lead with 7:01 left. The Pacers did not fall behind in the second half until 2:23 to play, when Gilgeous-Alexander’s 15-foot jump shot gave the Thunder a 104-103 lead that was never lost.

The story of the game, and possibly the first championship since the Oklahoma City franchise arrived from Seattle in 2008, is how the second-youngest team to ever reach the Finals, with an average age of 24 years, 148 days at the start of the season, kept the game close despite being behind for much of the night.

“I thought we really hung in there in the third,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “They really had the wind to their back. We had some deflating plays. It was an easy game to give up on. We kept it in striking distance, eight, 10, then able to close it in the fourth.”

The Pacers won each of the first three quarters against the Thunder and shot significantly better from 3-point range. At the end of the third the Pacers shot 46.8% from the field and were 11-28 (39.3%) from the three-point line. The Thunder meanwhile were 2-14 (14.3%) from 3-point range after three quarters.

The Thunder then forced the Pacers into tough shots late in the game, while the Thunder hit their clutch baskets late.

“We got stagnant,” said Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. “Their second shots were a big problem. When you’re unable to rebound, it’s hard to continue to play with pace and tempo.”

Gilgeous-Alexander’s clutch 15-foot step-back jumper gave the Thunder the lead for the first time in the second half with 2:23 left in the fourth. He also was 8-for-8 on free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.

“Winning, especially at this time of the season, comes down to the moments, it’s going to come down to late game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Every team is good. There’s rarely going to be a blowout. It comes down to the moments and who is willing to make winning plays on both ends of the floor.”

The Thunder managed to hold the Pacers to just 17 points in the final quarter whilst the Thunder scored 31. It was also the first time the Thunder had outscored the Pacers in the fourth quarter of this series.

“Seventeen-point fourth quarter, after the offensive success we had all game, I think really shows we have to do a better job moving the ball,” said Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. “I think that starts with me.” Haliburton’s 3-for-7 shooting in the fourth quarter could not overcome the 2-for-11 shooting of his teammates. Pacer forward Pascal Siakam, who had 20 points going into the fourth quarter was held to zero points and one shot in the fourth.

The Oklahoma City defense in the fourth quarter caused significant issues for Indiana. The Pacers, who had been much more effective from 3-point range, suddenly went long stretches without a basket. The Pacers shot 44% (8-18) in the third quarter and found themselves facing much tighter defense, shooting just 27.8% (5-18) in the fourth quarter.

Bennedict Mathurin of the Pacers, who finished with eight points, missed three straight free throws in the final moments of the game in their late comeback effort.

Oklahoma City also got key contributions from Thunder forward Jason Williams, who made a significant impact by scoring 27 points on 8-for-18 shooting, while guard Alex Caruso added 20 points with five steals off the bench on 7-for-9 shooting. Caruso, who tied his career playoff highs in points and steals, became the first reserve to have that many points and steals in a Finals game in more than 50 years.

Chet Holmgren scored 14 points shooting 4-9 from the field. He also had six rebounds, three offensive, in the fourth.

“We just got some big-time players that make big-time plays,” Caruso said. “I think Shai’s shots were huge. Those are loud, obvious, everybody sees them. We had guys make plays that you could say were invisible, that led to a lot of good things happening for us. “That’s a great team effort for us right there. A great team win. We gotta keep it going.”