2025 NBA Finals Game 4 Preview: Pacers Look to Take Control, Thunder Seek to Even Series
The 2025 NBA Finals take a pivotal turn on Friday as the Indiana Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4, looking to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. The Pacers have been dominant so far, leading 2-1 after a convincing 116-107 victory in Game 3. According to the NBA, teams that lead a series 2-1 have a nearly 80% chance of winning the series, and that number soars to 97% if they take Game 4.
The NBA reports that the Thunder, on the other hand, are looking to even the series and regain home-court advantage. A win in Game 4 would force the series into a best-of-three, with the winner of Game 5 taking a significant step towards claiming the championship. As NBA analyst Jalen Rose notes, "There’s no need to get super giddy or excited. There’s still a lot of work to be done."
One key area of focus for the Thunder is improving their clutch play. According to the NBA, Oklahoma City has struggled in close games, with a 16-8 record in games where the score was within five points with five minutes or less to play. In contrast, the Pacers have excelled in clutch situations, going 9-1 in the postseason. As Pacers backup big man Obi Toppin told the NBA, "We’ve been in a lot of close games this whole season. We’re comfortable in close games. At the end of games, as well. We just trust our work, trust we got to get the ball into our guards’ hands and they’re going to make good plays."
The battle of the benches is another crucial aspect of Game 4. The NBA reports that the team that has gotten more production from its bench has won each game so far. The Pacers’ reserves outscored the Thunder’s in Game 1 and Game 3, while Oklahoma City’s bench dominated in Game 2. As Thunder coach Mark Daigneault told the NBA, "All their team, their players they just outplayed us, outcoached us, out-everything last night. We certainly need to move on and let that go. But we also need to own that so we can learn from it."
The NBA also notes that the series has seen a shift in focus away from the 3-point line, with both teams stressing the importance of possessions and getting good shots. Indiana’s two victories were marked by vastly different 3-point showings, with the Pacers making 18-for-39 in Game 1 and 9-for-27 in Game 3. As Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton told the NBA, "There’s a maximum four games left in the season. It’s what you worked the whole season for. It’s what you worked all summer for. To me, the way I see it, you got to suck it up, get it done and try to get a win."
Finally, fatigue could play a significant role in Game 4, with both teams having played 101 games since the start of the season. The NBA reports that the Pacers and Thunder have different styles that demand different levels of energy, with Indiana’s rapid shifts into transition offense and Oklahoma City’s reliance on its stars’ scoring. As Pacers guard T.J. McConnell told the NBA, "Getting a mindset that you are not going to get tired, I think is something I would try and teach someone to play hard."
Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and @AschNBA on X. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.
