Bennedict Mathurin had one of his best games of the season in Game 3 of the NBA Finals
Bennedict Mathurin had one of his best games of the season in Game 3 of the NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, winning 116-107.
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The Thunder were led by 26 points from Jalen Williams, and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to only 24 inefficient points. OKC turned the ball over 17 times, allowing the Pacers to score quick points.
Tyrese Haliburton took control in the third quarter, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals, although Indiana was led by Bennedict Mathurin, who set a playoff career-high with 27 points.
The rest of the bench unit did solidly as well, and Mathurin credited the backups with "playing hard" and bringing energy.
"I think having guys like TJ and Obi get in the game and Sheppard, just playing hard, playing hard," he said. "It's a group of guys who play extremely hard, and I think that's exactly what we needed, just to get the fans back on their feet, and everybody was cheering."
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Gainbridge Fieldhouse was jumping from the start, and when the Pacers took a commanding enough lead to breathe, fans refused to leave their feet.
Mathurin played excellently on both ends of the floor, and while he didn't rack up a steal, he played clean defense on SGA, limiting the damage.
The Pacers will host the Thunder in Game 4 on Friday, and there is very real hope that Indiana can shock the world and take a 3-1 series lead against the best team in the NBA over the course of the regular season.
Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: Pacers Take Game 3 In a True Team Effort to Take Series Lead
Related: How Pacers 'Stole' $1 Million from Rapper Jay-Z
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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