"Worst finals choke of all time?": NBA fans react as Tyrese Haliburton's near triple-double downs MVP SGA's Thunder in Game 3
Tyrese Haliburton led the Indiana Pacers to a 116-107 come-from-behind win against the OKC Thunder in Game 3 on Wednesday. The Pacers, who trailed 89-84 entering the last 12 minutes, dominated the fourth quarter 32-18 to defend their home court. Haliburton finished the game with 22 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, leading his team to a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
Fans promptly reacted to yet another collapse by the heavily favored Thunder.
"Worst finals choke of all time?" a LeBron James fan asked on X.
Worst finals choke of all time?
Another fan said:
2011 mavs type run
One added:
Pacers are stunning the world. Never stop believing!
One more fan continued:
The entire NBA fanbase who’s rooting for Pacers to win is happy with this
Another fan reacted:
Did the Thunder bench lace up their shoes?
In the Indiana Pacers' two wins in the NBA Finals, they came from behind to outlast the Thunder. Indiana overcame a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit and 25 turnovers to beat OKC 111-110 in Game 1. Tyrese Haliburton drained the basket that stunned the Oklahoma crowd.
Two games later, the Pacers did not need another game-winning shot from their franchise cornerstone. Still, they leaned heavily on his leadership and playmaking to dominate the fourth quarter. Indiana, the heavy underdog, is now two wins away from its first NBA championship.
Tyrese Haliburton had plenty of help in the fourth quarter to push the Pacers to victory
The OKC Thunder defense was focused on shutting down Tyrese Haliburton. With Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso or Lu Dort shadowing him, the point guard readily involved his teammates more in the fourth quarter. Bennedict Mathurin stepped up to give the Indiana Pacers a lift.
Mathurin, who started the final 12 minutes, delivered nine points and played good defense to help drag the Pacers to the finish line. The backup guard scored five points early to cut Oklahoma's lead to 93-91 with 10:22 left. He also sank two key free throws to end the Thunder's late attempt to rally.
Andrew Nembhard also stood out on both ends. He had to chase around MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on defense and provided clutch baskets. Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith were just as invaluable for their two-way contribution.
Game 4 of the series will be played on Friday night in Indianapolis. The contest tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET and airs on ABC.