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NBA Finals Game 3 live updates: Pacers vs Thunder score, TV channel: Indiana leads OKC at halftime
The NBA Finals are back in Indianapolis after 25 years as the Indiana Pacers host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.
The Pacers won Game 1 in OKC on Tyrese Haliburton's last-second basket and the Thunder controlled Game 2. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) has powered the Thunder (36.0 points, 5.5 assists, 3.5 steals) in this series. Pascal Siakam leads Indiana (17.0 points, 8.5 rebounds).
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'He's earned it': Pacers TV announcer gets to work NBA Finals radio broadcast
The Pacers trail by 9 and lead by 7 in an active first half. Bennedict Mathurin has 14 points, Pascal Siakam 13 and Tyrese Haliburton 12 with 7 assists. T.J. McConnell has 6 points, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Indiana scores 40 points and commits 0 second-quarter turnovers, and is shooting 55.8% overall.
Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard have 3 fouls each, and OKC is 14-of-17 on free throws.
Chet Holmgren has a torrid start and 15 points, while SGA has 12 and Jalen Williams 11. OKC is 6-of-10 on 3-pointers and is +5 in rebounds.
3:26 left 2Q, Pacers 51, Thunder 51: SGA drives and scores as OKC recovers from a 7-point deficit. Timeout, Indiana.
Bennedict Mathurin's and-1 gives him 14 points. Andrew Nembhard sits with 3 fouls at the 5:30 mark. Isaiah Joe hits a pair of 3-pointers off the OKC bench.
7:27 left 2Q, Pacers 39, Thunder 36: Indiana leads the quarter 15-4, powered primarily by the bench. T.J. McConnell's 2 free throws give the Pacers their first lead, 37-36, with 8:58 left.
9:19 left 2Q, Thunder 36, Pacers 35: Pacers' bench leads OKC's 15-0. Bennedict Mathurin has 7 points in the quarter. T.J. McConnell gets an assist, then a steal, then another assist in the first minute of the quarter.
End 1Q, Thunder 32, Pacers 24: Tyrese Haliburton has 5 points and 4 assists, and Obi Toppin has 6 points. OKC's Lu Dort is 3-of-3 on 3-pointers.
4:50 left 1Q, Thunder 19, Pacers 14: Tyrese Haliburton scores, then assists to Obi Toppin. Timeout, OKC. Reggie Miller is happy.
OKC's Chet Holmgren is unstoppable early with 12 points and the Pacers are struggling with the ball (4 turnovers).
7:35 left 1Q, Thunder 15, Pacers 6: Chet Holmgren has 8 points for OKC, which is 6-of-9 from the field. Pascal Siakam has all 6 for Indiana (3-of-7).
The Thunder score the first 4 points of the game before Siakam's basket at the 10:30 mark.
OKC picks up 2 fouls in the first 21 seconds (SGA, Lu Dort).
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard
Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace
Game 3 of Thunder at Pacers is at 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 11, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Tickets for Game 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder start at $577.
Pacers-Thunder Game 3 tickets on StubHub
Pacers: Jarace Walker (ankle) and Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) are out.
Thunder: None.
'Easier said than done': Pacers looking for more paint points against NBA's toughest defense
The Indiana star had a slight limp after Game 2, but said Tuesday that it's a "lower leg thing" that won't hinder him in Game 3.
TV: ABC, with Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson (analysis)
Watch with a Fubo trial
93.5 and 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analysis) and Pat Boylan (sideline reporting). Game 1 streaming is on SiriusXM channels 81 (Thunder feed) and 86.
(*-if necessary; all games are ET and on ABC)
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Game 3 favorite: Thunder by 5.5 points
Over/under: 228.5 total points
Moneyline: Pacers +180, Thunder -220
ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Thunder a 55.2% chance of winning.
(Series averages)
Dustin Dopirak, IndyStar: Pacers 121-113
"Gainbridge Fieldhouse is about to host an NBA Finals game for the first time since 2000, when the arena was in its infancy and carrying the name of a different financial services organization. The series comes home with the Pacers holding a very real chance at earning their first NBA title.
"All of which is to say that the Game 3 atmosphere should be incredible, unlike anything the Pacers have experienced as a home team or the Thunder have on the road. That should be enough to create some momentum, and two days should have been plenty for the Pacers to come up with adjustments for the Thunder's defense. OKC will still be tough and winning Game 3 doesn't guarantee a Pacers title, but there will be a lot on their side and the once-in-a-generation level of home-court advantage should be enough to carry them."
Jordan Ramsay, Sports Interaction: Thunder 117-109
"Haliburton has been Indiana's playoff hero all postseason and there's no question he will have to be better if this team has a shot in the series. ... He ended up leading the team in scoring, but garbage points don't mean much when you lose the game."
Eric Cohen, CBS Sports: Thunder 113-110
