Social Media Reacts to Pacers Taking 2-1 Lead Over OKC Thunder

In Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Pacers out-executed the Thunder down the stretch, using flowing offense and stingy defense to take a 2-1 series lead at home.

The contest was a great one, with both teams grabbing small leads throughout, but issuing responses, too. The Thunder would see a myriad of players go on hot-streaks, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren to start. The Pacers used a team effort, relying heavily on Bennedict Mathurin in the second unit.

Indiana stole Game 1 in Oklahoma City via a last-second shot from Tyrese Haliburton, snagging home court advantage in the process. OKC would respond with a 16-point beatdown in Game 2, riding a Gilgeous-Alexander MVP-type performance to even the series.

Now, the Pacers will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in Game 4 as OKC again looks to tie.

Here's how X, formerly known as Twitter, reacted to Game 3:

Our starting 5️⃣⚡️ pic.twitter.com/eGSDYOHMsC
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 12, 2025

Game 3's first five. pic.twitter.com/8TevLAX2uF
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 12, 2025

Not liking this start by the Pacers at all.
— Kory Waldron (@FullAccessHoops) June 12, 2025

If you want an idea of what Chet has meant defensively to this series, just look at how he blew up that fast break with Siakam.
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) June 12, 2025

Chet Holmgren's got eight points on perfect shooting,

Thunder have built a decent first-quarter lead, 15-6.
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) June 12, 2025

Can’t ask for much better of a start for OKC. The crowd in Indiana not loving it so far.
— THE UNCONTESTED PODCAST (@The_Uncontested) June 12, 2025

The Pacers punch back with a run of their own.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still remains scoreless.

Chet Holmgren has been AWESOME offensively. Already up to 12 points a little over halfway through the first quarter.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) June 12, 2025

Absurd play from Tyrese Haliburton pic.twitter.com/ZUmxztcOUy
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 12, 2025

That was a very un-SGA first quarter offensively and the Thunder still hold an 8-point lead on the road

Great quarter from the supporting cast for OKC
— Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) June 12, 2025

Strong offense in the first quarter

32-24 OKC
— TF (@ThunderFocus) June 12, 2025

BENNEDICT. MATHURIN.
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) June 12, 2025

Amazing amazing amazing minutes for this non-Hali Pacers lineup. Opposite of Game 2 https://t.co/wIUDwNRqpJ
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 12, 2025

Pacers bench outscoring OKC’s 19-0
— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) June 12, 2025

Pacers being much more intentional about getting paint touches. Generating good action for them.
— THE UNCONTESTED PODCAST (@The_Uncontested) June 12, 2025

TJ McConnell with 2 points, four assists, three steals, and +9 in four minutes of hoops
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 12, 2025

SGA slices through the Pacers' defense and gets an easy layup. It's Indy's turn to call a timeout. Thunder have tied it up 51-51 with 3:26 left in the 2Q
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) June 12, 2025

TJ McConnell, of course, ends the half for the Pacers with a middy. Ended up not being the *worst* Thunder quarter of these playoffs, but certainly began that way. Indy outscored it 40-28. Big minutes from Mathurin and McConnell.
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) June 12, 2025

Bennedict Mathurin outscored the entire Oklahoma City Thunder bench 14-11 by himself in the first half despite Mathurin not playing at all in the first quarter.
— Law Murray 🚨 (@LawMurrayTheNU) June 12, 2025

I actually feel fine about the spot the Thunder are in. They're fortunate to only be down four, Pacers in some foul trouble. Just control the controllables.
— Matt Ravis (@mattravis) June 12, 2025

SGA with the mid-range jumper. Pacers call a quick timeout. Strong start to the 2nd half by the Thunder to retake a 66-64 lead with 10:34 left in the 3Q
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) June 12, 2025

Quick start for the Thunder to open up the second half
— Ian Nikkel (@IanNikkel) June 12, 2025

Dub driving layup, Dub middy, SGA middy.

Thunder back up 2! Perfect start to the half!
— Sam Humphreys (@SamHumphreys34) June 12, 2025

OKC making it too easy for Indiana right now. Idk how you live with some of these switches,
— THE UNCONTESTED PODCAST (@The_Uncontested) June 12, 2025

SGA vs Haliburton 🍿🍿🍿
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 12, 2025

Tyrese Haliburton is feeling it and for good reason. He is exploiting these switches.
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) June 12, 2025

HUGE 6-0 swing for OKC brought to you by Jalen Williams.

Beautiful find to a cutting Chet for the And-1 + the pull-up three after.

Up to 20 points on 13 shots tonight.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 12, 2025

JDUB BEATS THE 3RD QUARTER BUZZER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BrmxGzcyzD
— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2025

If you’re into basketball, this is a really great game of basketball.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) June 12, 2025

Man this has been such an awesome Finals game
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 12, 2025

Pacers just *6 of 22* from 3, their most inefficient game from deep of the series if this holds up. Thunder 10 for 18 there. https://t.co/J36yS6ZVzA
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) June 12, 2025

Mathurin has been masterful
— Samson Folk (the coach) (@samfolkk) June 12, 2025

What an amazing game. High level hoops.
— Coach Gibson Pyper (@HalfCourtHoops) June 12, 2025

Oh my gosh Hali.
— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) June 12, 2025

For the first time all season, the Thunder are playing on their heels.

You can see the confidence for the Pacers growing, especially with other guys getting involved and moving off the ball.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is starting to get frustrated and out of sync.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) June 12, 2025

THIS GAME
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) June 12, 2025

TJ McConnell.

The first 10-point, five-assist, five-steal game off the bench in the NBA Finals.

Ever.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 12, 2025

Thunder down seven with four minutes to play,

Simply being out-played down the stretch in Indiana.
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) June 12, 2025

Crazy Obi Toppin sequence
— Kofie (@Kofie) June 12, 2025

Indiana is just making too many winning basketball plays.

- offensive rebounds
- second chance points
- steals
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 12, 2025

SGA and Hali doing this in the Finals is such a good reminder that for NBA teams the player evaluation process doesn't just stop after the draft. Two guards acquired by trade in their early 20s. Always gotta be projecting the next 5 years.
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 12, 2025

Sigh
— TF (@ThunderFocus) June 12, 2025

Oh my Toppin pic.twitter.com/r2L3JnT6tk
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 12, 2025

Nembhard has taken only three shots, but his fingerprints have been ALL OVER this game.
— Mat Issa (@matissa15) June 12, 2025

The Thunder have 19 turnovers tonight, the second-most they have had in a game all year.
— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) June 12, 2025

Pacers defense has been special tonight
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) June 12, 2025

Just sloppy basketball the entire night, most turnovers the team has had this entire playoff run and so many of them have been so preventable
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) June 12, 2025

The Pacers are 11 points per 100 possessions better on defense when Pascal Siakam is on the floor. Ranks in the 99th percentile.

Watch him guard SGA on this crucial possession. Wow. pic.twitter.com/CqEqcVV41i
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 12, 2025