OKC Thunder Home Performance Must Strong-Arm Indiana Pacers' Road Consistency

The Oklahoma CIty Thunder is in a strong position after mounting an impressive late-game comeback in Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Looking down the barrel of a 3-1 series deficit to the Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City beared it and overcame it in front of a hostile Indiana crowd, potentially saving its season and sending the series back to Oklahoma City for Game 4 on Monday night.

The Thunder fought through the fourth, something the team did not do as well in Game 3. Now, the team will have to maintain that momentum and will be supported by a raucous, prepared Paycom Center crowd.

With a Game 5 in OKC, back to Indy for Game 6 and a Game 7 back in Paycom Center, Oklahoma City holds the upper hand in home-court advantage, and plays a massive role as the Thunder has not performed nearly as well on the road as it has at home this postseason.

Indiana on the other hand is unfazed when heading on the road, and are actually a better team in several facets on paper. They do not waver in front of loud environments, even in front of Loud City, as they took Game 1 by one point on a clutch game-winning pull-up jumper from Tyrese Haliburton.

The Pacers have been consistent in this series, having minimal variance in performances from wins to losses. Conversely, Oklahoma City has nights where the team shoots in own self in the foot, almost as if effort and conditioning were lagging slightly when compared to Indiana.

That plays a massive role in this upcoming game at home—playing your game, not getting flustered and limiting the Pacers as much as the team possibly can. Through four games, Oklahoma City has looked as scrambled as it has in this playoffs, though heightened because of the magnitude of the series. The team has looked as if it were playing themselves, being suffocated with on-ball pressure, committing errors and allowing Indiana to run.

But after witnessing Oklahoma City's late-game composure in Game 4, this team looks primed to potentially come out on top in Game 5, especially considering how the impressive the Pacers are in clutch situations.

The Thunder saved itself to knot the series up 2-2, and it's sparked life back in the fan base and in itself it seems.