Pacers Are Now Down 2-3 Games in the NBA Finals
In Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers experienced a crucial loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder 109-120. From the Pacers‘ key player getting injured to their head coach making questionable decisions, the Thunder is one game away from becoming the 2025 NBA Champions. With the series now 3-2 in favor of the Thunder, the pressure is on the Pacers to tie the series.
The performance of Tyrese Haliburton, a star player from the Pacers, performance was a key cause of their loss. Throughout the whole game, he had only scored 4 points, made 7 rebounds, and had 6 assists. Additionally, Haliburton was also struggling with a calf injury on his right leg.
Another huge concern that led to the Pacers’ loss was a widely discussed decision made by the Pacers’ head coach, Rick Carlisle. Many fans were questioning Coach Carlisle’s decision to let injured Haliburton play in the last few key moments in the 4th quarter instead of letting T.J. McConnell play. T.J. McConnell, a 33-year-old guard, was performing extremely well in the 3rd quarter, making 13 points in just 7 minutes, and cutting the Thunder’s lead to just single digits. Instead of letting McConnell play in most of the 4th quarter, Coach Carlisle sat him out starting from 10:50 in the fourth to just 3:23 left on the clock because he claimed that McConnell was getting exhausted.
Rick Carlisle’s response to his decision was, “He (McConnell) was great in the third. (I) put him in earlier than normal (in the third). He was very tired. That’s why we got him out. I think there was a play early in the fourth where it looked like fatigue had set in there. Then Ty was back in, and then that group went on a good run there. Yeah, it’s always a consideration (to play him more late). But I haven’t gone through the entire game and completely analyzed the whole thing.”
Throughout the whole series, turnovers have been a significant factor in the Pacers’ losses. On average, the Pacers have 18.6 turnovers per game while the Thunder only have 13.4. In Game 5, the Pacers had 23 turnovers, which gave the Thunder 32 points. In the press, Haliburton said, “All three of our losses, turnovers have been a big reason why. We have to do a better job taking care of the ball if we want to have a chance in Game 6.”
Game 6, on Thursday night, will be a key game that might decide the winner of the NBA Finals. For the Pacers, they must win this next game in order to tie at 3 games apiece. If the Pacers show up, Game 7 could be anyone’s game.
