Should the series go to a Game 6 between the Pacers and Thunder, that game would be played on June 19. Clark's team would be on the road playing the Golden State Valkyries, which

That play set the tone for the night. As much as the Pacers are known for their free-flowing up-tempo offense, they lead the NBA Finals 2-1 because they played an elite defensive game Wednesday night.

Game 3 revealed what the Pacers look like at their best. Dogged. Determined. And dominant when it matters most.

The Indiana Pacers obviously have a talented roster full of good shooters and defenders from Tyrese Haliburton to NBA Finals Game 3 star Bennedict Mathurin. But it might be Caitlin Clark (!) who's carrying this team to an NBA title in 2025.

However, what won the 68 games and got them to the Finals was their defense, and the Pacers torched that for a long stretch of Game 3. Indiana took better shots and capitalized on them, finishing with a 116 offensive rating (9.5 points higher than the Thunder allowed on average during the playoffs coming into the game).

Indiana Pacers fans made their presence known in the team’s 116-107 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 on Wednesday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Makes Thunder Playoff History Despite Loss to Pacers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Game 3 of the NBA Finals did not go the way that the Oklahoma City Thunder wanted it to. At the very least, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will have a consolation prize from Wednesday night.

At this point, we're beyond there being no historical precedent for what the Indiana Pacers are doing. We're into full-on fantasy land. And yet the prospect of the Pacers winning what would not only be their first championship as an NBA franchise,