Tyrese Haliburton Shines Despite Pacers' Painful Collapse in Game 4
What a game. The 2025 NBA Finals just keeps delivering drama, and Game 4 was a wild ride, especially if you were watching closely for Tyrese Haliburton. While the Indiana Pacers couldn’t hold off the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fourth quarter, Haliburton quietly had one of his more complete performances of the series, even if it came in a frustrating loss that tied things up at 2-2.
Now, I have to start by giving credit to the Thunder — they came back from 10 points down late in the third quarter and just found another gear when it mattered most. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took over down the stretch, scoring 15 of the team’s last 16 points. But let's not overlook how steady Haliburton was, especially in the first half.
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He opened Game 4 with a three-pointer early on and got Indiana out to a quick start. That gave the Pacers some real momentum, and by halftime, they were up 60-57. Tyrese had 8 points, 5 assists, and a steal at the break, and even made his first free throw of the entire series with less than 30 seconds to go in the second quarter. That stat alone — going three full games in the Finals without a free throw — tells you how tightly the Thunder were defending him.
But this time, he broke through. He finished with 18 points and 7 assists, and for stretches of the game, especially in the second and third quarters, he looked like the offensive engine Indiana needed him to be. He facilitated beautifully, kept the ball moving, and gave the Thunder’s defense fits, even if he wasn’t blowing up the box score like SGA.
Unfortunately, Indiana couldn’t close it out. The Pacers were up 103-99 with just over three minutes left, and then — they just couldn’t buy a bucket. They didn’t make a single field goal the rest of the game. And as Haliburton tried to create, his teammates missed free throws — including Bennedict Mathurin, who missed three of his last four — and the whole offense just unraveled.
That’s what makes this one sting. Because Haliburton wasn’t just playing solid basketball — he was showing leadership, poise, and patience. But the Pacers fell short, and now the series is tied. The Thunder have snatched momentum heading into Game 5 in Oklahoma City, where teams that win that pivotal game in a 2-2 series go on to win the title nearly 75% of the time.
Still, this series is far from over. Haliburton has shown flashes of being the floor general Indiana needs. If the Pacers want to win their first NBA title, they'll need him to take it up another level and control the tempo, especially in those clutch moments. Game 5 is Monday night — and all eyes will be on Tyrese to see if he can deliver when it matters most.
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