On Friday night time, the Pacers host the Thunder in Recreation 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Indiana State received Recreation 3 on Wednesday, 116-107, and leads the sequence 2-1.
Recreation 4 will likely be essential for each groups on this sequence. The Thunder’s victory brings the sequence to 2 wins and a pair of losses, giving them dwelling courtroom benefit as soon as once more. If the Pacers win Recreation 4, they are going to be one win away from profitable their first NBA championship. Forward of Friday night time, analysts across the league are questioning whether or not head coach Mark Denault might want to make changes to his beginning lineup.
Will Mark Daigneault make any changes for Recreation 4?
The Thunder are +7 with a double-big lineup on the ground in Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. Thus far within the sequence, he has performed 10 minutes with that look.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) June 12, 2025
All through the primary three rounds of the 2025 playoffs, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder used the identical beginning lineup each recreation. They had been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lou Dort, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Head coach Mark Daigneault has made changes to his beginning lineup for Recreation 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. In Hartenstein’s place, Daigneault turned to Cason Wallace.
The Indiana Pacers are a fast-paced group that always tries to maneuver the ball in transition. That is in all probability why Daigneault began Cayson Wallace as an alternative of Isaiah Hartenstein within the finals. Wallace is a flexible defender for the Thunder, however he has struggled to assist the group offensively. In three video games within the Finals, Wallace was 0-6 from past the arc, totaling 17 factors.
CBS Sports activities reporter Sam Quinn identified that OKC is +7 within the Finals when Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are on the ground collectively. However the two large males have solely shared the courtroom for simply 10 minutes in three video games. One other transfer for OKC is the opportunity of beginning Alex Caruso as an alternative of Kayson Wallace. Caruso was a key function participant for the Thunder within the 2025 NBA Finals. He scored 20 factors in OKC’s Recreation 2 victory. Can the Thunder win Recreation 4 and take Recreation 5 dwelling with a 2-2 sequence lead?
