Under the brilliant lights of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana Pacers stood poised to defend their home court against the thunderous force of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The arena buzzed with nervous excitement, every seat filled with blue and gold faithful who knew this wasn’t just another regular-season game—it was a test of will, precision, and strategy.
The Thunder arrived with swagger. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the slippery All-NBA guard, was averaging 30 points per game, slicing through defenses like a blade through silk. Alongside him, the electric rookie Chet Holmgren stretched the floor like a seven-foot archer, launching smooth three-pointers as comfortably as corner jumpers. The Pacers knew this was no ordinary team; the Thunder were the West’s surprise juggernaut, sitting near the top of the standings with a 55-19 record.
But Indiana had an edge of their own—the three-point line.
Under coach Rick Carlisle’s scheme, the Pacers had transformed into one of the league’s most dangerous perimeter offenses. Tyrese Haliburton—the floor general with eyes like radar—led the NBA in assists, threading laser-like passes to Buddy Hield, Bennedict Mathurin, and Aaron Nesmith on the wings. When Indiana shot well from deep, they rarely lost, especially at home. In games where the Pacers hit 15 or more three-pointers, they were 23-3. It was simple math: outshoot or be outgunned.
Before tipoff, Carlisle gathered his team in the locker room, his voice low but sharp.
“We can’t win this with brute force,” he said. “We win by speed. By spacing. By threes. If we win the deep game, they can’t keep up.”
The first quarter lit up like a fireworks show. Haliburton danced beyond the arc, drawing defenders, then zipping passes to the corners where Hield waited like a hunter. Boom—three. Mathurin curled off a screen, rose, and splashed another. The crowd roared as Indiana buried seven threes in the first twelve minutes, stunning the Thunder’s defense. Oklahoma City answered with slashing drives and SGA’s mid-range wizardry, but they trailed 37-30 by the end of the first.
In the second and third quarters, the battle raged. Holmgren stretched Indiana’s defense, drilling two deep threes that silenced the crowd. Josh Giddey weaved clever assists into the paint. But Indiana’s shooting rhythm held firm. Even when OKC closed the lane, Indiana swung the ball side-to-side until a clean look appeared. Nesmith, quiet for much of the season, stepped up, hitting back-to-back threes that reignited the home crowd.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Pacers clung to a six-point lead. Carlisle called timeout.
“Don’t drive unless it’s there. Keep launching. Keep trusting. The three is our sword.”
And the Pacers obeyed. Haliburton drained a 28-footer off a high screen. Hield curled and fired from the corner. Mathurin drove baseline, kicked out to Obi Toppin—another three. Each shot splashed clean, each make pushing the Thunder further behind.
With thirty seconds left, Indiana led by nine. OKC scrambled, hoisting desperate shots, but the damage was done. The buzzer sounded; the Pacers took a 122-113 victory.
Indiana had hit 20 three-pointers, outgunning the Thunder’s 11. The stats told the story: when the Pacers ruled the perimeter, they ruled the night.
As the crowd erupted in cheers, Carlisle smiled on the sideline. The lesson was clear and sharp as the nets they burned: in today’s NBA, the arc is king—and the Pacers knew how to wear the crown at home.
