The Indiana Pacers lost Game 4 of the NBA Finals, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder at home, 111-104.
The Pacers, as always, were well-rounded and enjoyed 20 points from Pascal Siakam. Indiana led for the entire third quarter and much of the fourth, although the Thunder gave them a taste of their own medicine, clawing back in the final minutes.
In Game 3, Bennedict Mathurin led all scorers, with 27 points in just 22 minutes off the bench. He followed that masterclass up with only eight points in Game 4, and he made some critical mistakes down the stretch.
In the final 30 seconds, he missed three free throws and fouled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on an inbound pass, allowing the Thunder to add four points, taking a 108-103 lead in the final seconds, when the Pacers could have instead cut the gap, epcally with Tyrese Haliburton deflecting an inbound pass to start a fast break.
After Game 3, there were calls for Mathurin to win Finals MVP, depending on how the series shakes out. However, with a bitter taste from Game 4 left in his mouth, how he is remembered will be determined by who wins the series.
After Game 3, he was a hero in Indiana, and if the Pacers manage to win the series in six or seven games, that will be the moment fans remember Mathurin for. However, if the series swings in the Thunder's favor and they manage to finish Indiana off, fans will remember Mathurin as someone who couldn't hit free throws when it mattered most.
With the series evened up, the Pacers will travel to Oklahoma City for a must-win Game 5 on Monday night.
Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.