A 15-point fourth-quarter outburst from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sparked the Oklahoma City Thunder’s late comeback for a crucial 111-104 stunner over the Indiana Pacers to equalize the series, 2-2, in the pivotal Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, on June 14. 

The reigning MVP scored 15 of the Thunder’s last 17 points, capping a clutch performance with 35 points and three steals in the come-from-behind victory. 

“I still feel like we have so much work to do. We’re halfway there obviously but still so far from the finish line,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder stand two wins away from their first NBA title. 

Shooting guard Jalen Williams tallied 27 huge points on 11-of-11 free-throw shooting, alongside another monster off-the-bench showing from Alex Caruso, who notched 20 points and five steals. 

Thunder on the back foot

An intense onslaught saw the Pacers creating a 15-24 separation in the first half of the opening frame, shooting 9-of-12 in the field with 6:14 remaining. 

The Thunder clapped back with a 9-0 blitz courtesy of Jalen Williams’ six straight points and a Luguentz Dort three to tie the game, 24-24. 

Indiana managed to hold on to a one-point lead into the second quarter. Pascal Siakam snatched two steals to score five straight as OKC kept close, 35-34.

The physicality significantly increased with both teams committing a pivotal flagrant foul – penalty 1 each.

After a couple of lead changes to start the quarter, a controversial flagrant penalty 1 was called on Obi Toppin over Caruso which saw the Thunder mount a 7-0 rally for a six-point lead, 51-45.

With less than two minutes left in the half, Toppin sustained a flagrant penalty 1 of his own from Lu Dort as the Pacers went off for an 8-2 sprint to end the half up by three, 57-60.

In the third quarter, Indiana stepped up their offensive, pulling ahead with an eight-point margin, 66-74. SGA unloaded eight straight points as OKC cut the lead to two, 72-74,  with five minutes to go.

An electric back-to-back triple from Obi Toppin quickly shifted the momentum back to the Pacers, even grabbing the largest lead with an emphatic slam, 76-86. Indiana entered the final frame with a comfortable 7-point margin, 80-87.

A taste of their own medicine

Finding themselves on the back foot, Chet Holmgren and Caruso sparked a 10-2 run to put the game at an 89-89 tie in the first four minutes of the quarter.

With both teams trading buckets, SGA took over with nine straight critical points as the Thunder snatched their first lead of the second half, 104-103.

The Pacers tried to salvage their fourth-quarter fumble, but a 7-1 Thunder run concluded OKC’s incredible comeback, 111-104. 

Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam paced Indiana with 20 points, eight rebounds, five steals, and five assists while star point guard Tyrese Haliburton put up 18 points and 7 assists in a losing effort at home. 

“I gotta do a better job of keeping pace in the game. I did a much better job of that last game,” said Haliburton as the Pacers suffered a fourth-quarter turnaround loss of their own.

“That’s on me. I gotta get us playing faster down the stretch and I’ll be better in Game 5,” Haliburton said. 

The OKC Thunder looks to take hold of their first lead in the series when the NBA Finals head back to Paycom Center, Oklahoma, for Game 5 on June 17. 

Read more: Pacers outlast Thunder at home to regain series lead, 2-1