Pacers Sneak Past Thunder in Nail-Biter Win — Could This Be the Turning Point in a Grueling Season?

In a season that’s been anything but smooth sailing for the Indiana Pacers, Friday night’s 117-114 victory on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder felt like a much-needed spark – and honestly, it was a breath of fresh air. With only their third road win of the season, the Pacers showed grit and determination against a Thunder squad led by the electrifying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 47 points. Though OKC fought back hard, Indiana managed to hold on and break a streak, leaving fans with hope and a glimpse of what this team can still do. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement — one that’s stirring up new energy and a few “what-ifs” as the season trudges on. LEARN MORE.

Amid a tough season for the reigning Eastern Conference champions, the Indiana Pacers showed some fight in earning a road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, 117-114. The victory was just Indiana’s third on the road this season.

The Thunder went down despite 47 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who shot 17-for-28 from the floor and hit all 12 of his free throws. Friday’s game was SGA’s fifth 40-point effort of the season. Chet Holmgren scored 25 points with 13 rebounds. But Kenrich Williams (12) and Cason Wallace (10) were the only other OKC players to reach double figures.

Indiana built an 82-71 lead with 4:09 remaining in the third quarter, but the Thunder cut the margin to 86-85 just before the end of the frame. Oklahoma City could never take the lead during the fourth quarter, though did trim the Pacers’ lead to 94-91 at the seven-minute mark.

An Andrew Nembhard 3-pointer appeared to be the decisive blow, giving Indiana a 113-103 lead. But the Thunder rallied with a 9-0 run to come within one point with 24 seconds remaining in regulation. Through the remaining 10 seconds, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jarace Walker traded free throws and set up an opportunity for Oklahoma City to tie the game with six seconds left.

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However, the Pacers’ defense forced the Thunder to get the ball to Isaiah Joe for a 3-point attempt. He missed the shot and Indiana held on for arguably its biggest win of the season.

Nembhard scored 27 points (hitting 4-of-7 3-pointers) with 11 assists and 7 rebounds to lead Indiana to just its 11th win of the season, breaking a three-game losing streak. Walker followed with a career-best 26 points and Pascal Siakam added 21.

Facing their NBA Finals opponent from last season brings out the best in the Pacers, who lost their season opener to the Thunder but took the reigning NBA champions to double overtime before a 141-135 defeat. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 55 points in that matchup.

With their ninth loss of the season, the Thunder would now have to go undefeated to match the Golden State Warriors’ 73 wins during the 2015-16 campaign. A 26-3 start that had Oklahoma City on track for a historic season now appears to be a footnote.