Thunder reversed the Pacers tied the finals. Many players joined forces to stage a Jedi counterattack

The 2025 NBA Finals ushered in a key turning point after the fourth game. The Thunder defeated the Pacers 111-104 with a strong counterattack in the final quarter, rewriting the series score to a 2-2 draw. In this dramatic contest, although the Thunder were 10 points behind in the first half and 7 points in the early fourth quarter, the team completed the reversal with tough defense and key ball handling under MVP Shay Gilgers-Alexander.

The Thunder's offensive efficiency in this game is "atypical victory" - the team made only 3 of 17 three-pointers (17.6%), and the assists were 10 times a season low, but they relied on their super high free throw percentage (89.5%) of 34 free throws (89.5%) and a rebound advantage of 43 rebounds. Data shows that the Thunder became the third team in NBA Finals history to still win by more than 24 points behind three-pointers. The last similar scenario goes back to the Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals.

Core Player Performance Analysis

Shay Gilgers-Alexander continued his MVP-level dominance, scoring 35 points in the game, including 15 points in the last quarter, and scored 13 points in a row in the last five minutes of the game to complete the takeover. Although his key jump shot caused controversy over whether to move, it is undeniable that he plays a decisive role in both offense and defense.

Alex Caruso played as a substitute and scored 20 points on 7 of 9 shots in 30 minutes, while contributing the team's highest 5 steals. This "defensive vanguard" completed key steals many times during the stalemate period of the game, and one of the fast break dunks ignited the Thunder's counterattack momentum and became an important driving force for the team's reversal. It is worth mentioning that Caruso became the first player in NBA history to score 20 statistics twice in the Finals without playing in the regular season.

Chet Holmgren showed his all-round skills on both ends of the offense and defense, handing out a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds, including 4 offensive rebounds. The 23-year-old young insider completed a key defensive interception in the last two minutes of the game, and when the Pacers tried to chase points, he successfully restricted his opponent's four shots to miss, using defense to secure the victory for the Thunder.

Jaylen Williams played the role of "second scoring point", scoring 27 points on 8 of 18 shots, and scoring 12 points in the first quarter set the tone for the team. Although his efficiency was average on 11 shots outside the three-point line, his continuous rush to the basket forced the Pacers' defense to shrink, scoring seven rebounds and sending three assists, becoming Gilgers-Alexander's most reliable helper.

Data comparison and key turning points

From technical statistics, the Pacers have a clear advantage in assists (21-10) and three-pointers (11-3), but the Thunder scored 34 points through 38 free throws and scored 25 points with their opponent's 16 turnovers, successfully making up for the lack of offensive efficiency. The turning point of the game came in the last 5 minutes of the fourth quarter, with the Thunder playing a 15-2 attack wave, with Gilgers-Alexander personally contributing 13 points and the Pacers made four turnovers during this period, becoming a key factor in losing the game.

As the series returns to the three-inning two-win system, the Thunder will return to home with this reversal morale, while the Pacers need to adjust their form as soon as possible to avoid losing their home advantage in the critical fifth game. This controversial and passionate showdown undoubtedly adds more suspense to the 2025 NBA Finals.