With the 2025 NBA Finals moving back to Oklahoma City for a crucial Game 5, the Indiana Pacers remain unfazed, not upset. Having blown a late lead in Game 4, the Pacers are employing their trademark resiliency to rebound and react.
Indiana had a golden chance to take a 3-1 series lead Friday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, ahead 103-99 with less than three minutes to play. But the Oklahoma City Thunder mounted a 12-1 surge to steal the game, even the series at 2-2, and steal away homecourt advantage.
Before we head to Game 5, what really went wrong with the Pacers down the stretch?
Should Rick Carlisle Be Blamed for the Late-Game Collapse?
According to NBA writer Wheat Hotchkiss, head coach Rick Carlisle was straightforward in his analysis of Game 4.
"I thought we played well for three quarters and struggled in the fourth," the 65-year-old said on Sunday.
That difficulty was reflected on the stat sheet. Indiana was outscored 31-17 in the fourth quarter, shooting only 5-for-18 total and an abysmal 0-for-8 from outside.
They also were outrebounded 12-4 in the period, 4-1 on the offensive glass, and had 10 fouls that resulted in 14 Thunder free throws. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accounted for eight of those trips to the line, igniting Oklahoma City's rally.
NBA Fans on Reddit Called Out Carlisle's 'Disasterclass'
On the r/pacers Reddit forum, the original poster detailed how the Pacers went off down the last quarter. They stated some problems that might have been solved earlier.
"Felt like he sat Haliburton for far too long in the first half again, similar to Game 2. One thing is clear, the team is not the same with him off the floor and he should not sit for more than three to four minutes at a time. The team could not buy a bucket with Hali out and this allowed OKC to tread water. He is 25 years old and this is the NBA Finals, he can play 40+.
Not challenging the obvious charge on Jalen Williams that cost us three points. Not using a challenge in general — why? Plenty of worthy plays.
Not using a timeout or two to get the team re-oriented in the final three minutes. They could not get anything set whatsoever."
The OP also criticized Myles Turner for going missing in action (MIA) down the stretch. There were failed screens, and Obi Toppin should have gotten his minutes after some time from the bench.
Pascal Siakam's Disappearance in Crunch Time
Another major concern was the limited involvement of Pascal Siakam in the closing minutes. After pouring in a team-high 20 points over three quarters, the All-Star forward attempted just one shot in the fourth.
Carlisle said that he's one of the Pacers' primary weapons, but being absent from the offense means that Indiana will have to look for another scorer on the team.
Getting Siakam more involved in the final stages of games will be a priority number one for Indiana going into Monday evening.
According to one Redditor, the officiating in the game was terrible, not to mention Bennedict Mathurin's fouls, which the Redditor claimed made no sense. The commenter added that Turner and Aaron Nesmith were not doing anything at all. Obviously, it was a huge mistake to ignore Siakam in the fourth quarter.
"People are blaming Rick for this? Wow. Team got outscored 31-17 in the 4th quarter. Blame the players," an NBA fan wrote.
Blaming the Game Killer
While most commenters blamed Carlisle and the Pacers' lame fourth-quarter performance, some claimed Scott Foster sold the game for them.
"You don't challenge a Foster call. You'll burn the challenge and get nothing. He stand up there and smile, then screw you. Ask Denver and Boston fans. The man is a killer," one commenter said." Rick did the right thing. Hali was tired. The team was tired, because some players didn't play well and the rotation was shortened. You played one less big. You need more bodies because OKC rotated better and was less tired."
"That makes 2 games in a row that Nesmith has fouled out, yet Caruso/Dort hasn't received more than 3 fouls in a game. The shit is ridiculous," another Reddit user said.
For some fans, blaming Mathurin's crucial free throws is what concluded the game. Pacers could have inched closer to OKC, but the hero of Game 3 missed the most important shots as the Thunder pounced on the opportunity.
Originally published on sportsworldnews.com
