Tyrese Haliburton Explains How Pacers Limited Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 Win

The Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals with the win Wednesday.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Gilgeous-Alexander shoots the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Haliburton during the first half during the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers took Game 3 of the NBA Finals at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night to take a 2-1 lead in the series and move two wins away from the franchise's first NBA title. Thunder star and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 24 points—nearly seven points less than his postseason average (30.7) and almost nine less than his regular-season average (32.7).

It's never easy to limit Gilgeous-Alexander, he's always going to find a way to get buckets and get to the foul line. But the Pacers found a way to keep the MVP at bay, limiting his scoring and efficiency as much as they could. In total on the night, he had 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton explained how his squad was able to keep Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring down compared to the first two games of the series where he scored 72 points combined.

"You just have to try and make it as tough as you can. He's such a tough cover," Haliburton said postgame on the ESPN broadcast. "[We were] trying to show him multiple bodies, try to show help and try to do the best we can."

In the 116-107 win Wednesday, Haliburton had 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds—one board shy of a triple-double. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers on the night with 27 points which he scored in 22 minutes off the bench. Debatably, though, the biggest win for Indiana was on the opposite end of the floor, limiting the NBA's MVP— at least as much as they could.

The Pacers now lead the Thunder 2-1 in the NBA Finals. Game 4 tips off Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

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