Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said the team became stagnant in the clutch and that giving up second-chance opportunities to the Thunder ultimately cost them Game 4.
The Indiana Pacers missed an opportunity to take a commanding 3–1 lead in the NBA Finals, falling 111–104 at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a tightly contested Game 4.
The Pacers held a 7-point lead entering the fourth quarter, up 87–80, and seemed to have control of the game.
But the Thunder responded with a fierce push, and the momentum swung back and forth until Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took over in the final minutes.
The MVP scored 15 points in the last five minutes, lifting OKC to a crucial win and tying the series at 2–2.
After the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle pointed to rebounding and ball movement as key issues that led to the loss.
"We got stagnant," Carlisle said. "Their second shots were a big problem. When you’re unable to rebound, it’s hard to continue to play with pace and tempo."
The Pacers managed just one point in the final three minutes, a collapse Carlisle attributed to a slowed-down offense that struggled to create quality looks late in the game.
"The ball was not being advanced quickly enough, we weren’t creating problems, and we were up against the clock a lot," he added.
"We had 20 assists in the first three quarters but only one in the fourth. A lot of the same stuff I was just talking about."
Despite the tough loss, Carlisle praised his team’s chemistry and resilience.
"We’re put together really probably unlike any other team in the NBA in terms of our dependence on one another. Balance is what works for us," he said.
Looking ahead to a pivotal Game 5, Carlisle stressed the importance of both physical and mental toughness.
"It’s the ultimate effort endeavor," coach emphasized. "This is where we’re going to have to dig in and circle the wagons and come back stronger on Monday."
"This kind of challenge is going to have extreme highs and extreme lows. This is a low right now, and we’re going to have to bounce back from it," Carlisle concluded.
The Game 5 will be played on Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
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