Despite being in control for most of the game, the Indiana Pacers lost Game 4 of the NBA Finals and are now tied 2-2 in their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers were within reach of a commanding 3-1 lead, but they shot themselves in the foot numerous times in the game, and in the words of NBA legend Charles Barkley, "the Pacers blew this game."
It may not be exactly what Pacers fans want to hear, but it's the truth. The team had a great opportunity to inch even closer to their goal of winning an NBA Championship. A 3-1 lead is much different from a 2-2 series tie, but Indiana couldn't hang on.
In Game 4, the Pacers shot 25-for-33 from the free-throw line, they scored just 17 points in the fourth quarter (to Oklahoma City's 31), and they only recorded one point in the last 3:20 of the game. The series isn't over yet, but things don't look great for the Pacers. If they end up losing the series, this game will go down in infamy for the franchise.
All the momentum is now in the Thunder's direction
After pulling off a late-game comeback victory of their own in this series, the Thunder have re-gained home-court advantage and have essentially made this a best-of-three series. Oklahoma City ended the regular season with the best record in the league, and they were the heavy favorites to win this series. However, the Pacers have what it takes to pull off the upset, and they have proven that multiple times so far. Still, in order for them to walk away with the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the Pacers need to take advantage of as many opportunities to win as possible. Unfortunately for them, they let a major one slip through their fingers in Game 4.
Luckily for Indiana, despite their crushing loss, they have two things going for them. First, they have built a reputation as one of the most resilient teams in recent NBA history, and they will have a good chance to continue living up to that with a bounce-back victory in Game 5. And second, the series is far from over, and the Pacers should still feel confident in their odds of winning the series. They have overcome the biggest mental roadblock in the NBA Finals, and they have already made it clear they have what it takes to win it all. Hopefully for them, they can answer in a big way on Monday night and get things back on track.