Game ID: 22401079
Indiana Pacers @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
OKC 29 32 41 30 132IND 27 22 31 31 111
IND @ OKC ScoutingIND @ OKC Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
OKC availability going into 3/21 · 1 day's restOUT Jal. Williams missed 4 since 3/12, out tonight
OUT Dort missed 2 since 3/16, out tonight
OUT Mitchell missed 35 since 1/05, out tonight
NEW Joe 19 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW K. Williams 15 to 24 min over the last 4
NEW Jay. Williams 14 to 20 min over the last 4
OKC availability going into 3/23 · 1 day's restOUT Jal. Williams missed 5 since 3/12, out tonight
OUT Dort missed 3 since 3/16, returns tonight: 29 min (98% of 29)
OUT Mitchell missed 36 since 1/05, out tonight
NEW Joe 19 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW K. Williams 15 to 23 min over the last 5
NEW Jay. Williams 14 to 23 min over the last 4
OKC availability going into 3/25 · 1 day's restOUT Jal. Williams missed 6 since 3/12, out tonight
OUT Mitchell missed 37 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Dort back 3/23 after 3, 29 min since (98% of 29)
NEW Joe 19 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW K. Williams 15 to 22 min over the last 5
NEW Jay. Williams 14 to 21 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 3/27 · 1 day's restOUT Jal. Williams missed 7 since 3/12, returns tonight: 29 min (88% of 33)
OUT Mitchell missed 38 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Dort back 3/23 after 3, 30 min since (103% of 29)
NEW Joe 19 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW K. Williams 15 to 21 min over the last 5
NEW Jay. Williams 14 to 22 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Wiggins missed 2 since 3/25, out tonight
OUT Mitchell missed 39 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 3/27 after 7, 29 min since (88% of 33)
BACK Dort back 3/23 after 3, 30 min since (102% of 29)
NEW K. Williams 15 to 22 min over the last 5
NEW Jay. Williams 14 to 21 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 3/31 · 1 day's restOUT Wiggins missed 3 since 3/25, out tonight
OUT Mitchell missed 40 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 3/27 after 7, 29 min since (88% of 33)
BACK Dort back 3/23 after 3, 31 min since (105% of 29)
NEW K. Williams 15 to 22 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 4/02 · 1 day's restOUT Wiggins missed 4 since 3/25, out tonight
OUT Mitchell missed 41 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 3/27 after 7, 28 min since (84% of 33)
BACK Dort back 3/23 after 3, 30 min since (102% of 29)
NEW K. Williams 15 to 22 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 4/04 · 1 day's restOUT Wiggins missed 5 since 3/25, returns tonight: 19 min (92% of 21)
OUT Mitchell missed 42 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 3/27 after 7, 29 min since (88% of 33)
NEW Joe 19 to 24 min over the last 5
NEW K. Williams 15 to 22 min over the last 5
OKC availability going into 4/06 · 1 day's restOUT Jay. Williams missed 2 since 4/02, out tonight
OUT Mitchell missed 43 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Jal. Williams back 3/27 after 7, 30 min since (91% of 33)
BACK Wiggins back 4/04 after 5, 19 min since (92% of 21)
IND availability going into 3/22 · 1 day's restOUT Haliburton missed 3 since 3/17, returns tonight: 32 min (95% of 34)
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 63 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Walker back 3/17 after 3, 17 min since (113% of 15)
NEW Nesmith 26 to 33 min over the last 4
NEW Toppin 20 to 26 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 3/24 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 64 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Haliburton back 3/22 after 3, 32 min since (95% of 34)
BACK Walker back 3/17 after 3, 14 min since (96% of 15)
NEW Nesmith 26 to 32 min over the last 4
NEW Toppin 20 to 25 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 3/26 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 65 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Haliburton back 3/22 after 3, 31 min since (91% of 34)
BACK Walker back 3/17 after 3, 12 min since (79% of 15)
NEW Toppin 20 to 25 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 3/27 · back-to-backOUT Isa. Jackson missed 66 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Haliburton back 3/22 after 3, 31 min since (92% of 34)
IND availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 67 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Haliburton back 3/22 after 3, 29 min since (88% of 34)
IND availability going into 3/31 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 68 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Haliburton back 3/22 after 3, 29 min since (87% of 34)
IND availability going into 4/02 · 1 day's restOUT Mathurin missed 2 since 3/29, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 69 since 11/04, out tonight
IND availability going into 4/04 · 1 day's restOUT Mathurin missed 3 since 3/29, returns tonight: 23 min (85% of 27)
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 70 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 2 since 3/31, out tonight
NEW Walker 15 to 21 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 4/06 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 71 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 3 since 3/31, out tonight
BACK Mathurin back 4/04 after 3, 23 min since (85% of 27)
NEW Walker 15 to 22 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 103, shooting 50 percent and 47 from three, 21 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 31 and Wiggins at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Wiggins (2 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 107, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 21 free throws a game; Haliburton at 21 and Mathurin at 17 a game. Without Isa. Jackson (67 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 47 percent from three to Indiana's 40 and the glass, where OKC has been plus-9 a night and Indiana plus-4. Call it OKC 118, Indiana 111.
3/21 vs CHA 141-106 — OKC notes
OKC won 141-106. OKC shot 57% (54 of 94) to CHA's 46%, 21 of 39 from three. OKC turned it over 7 times to CHA's 16. The glass went 43-29 for them. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 30 (13 of 18); Holmgren added 14, J. Williams 14. The hinge was Q1, 34-14: from level to 20 ahead, and the lead reached 35. Gilgeous-Alexander was the night's best plus/minus at +31.
3/23 @ LAC 103-101 — OKC notes
OKC won 103-101. OKC shot 40% (37 of 92) to LAC's 43%, 12 of 35 from three, and got to the line 20 times to LAC's 28. OKC turned it over 9 times to LAC's 14. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 26 (7 of 29, 1 of 7 from three, 11 of 11 at the line); Wiggins added 19, Hartenstein 14. The hinge was Q2, 33-17: OKC came in trailing by 10 and left it ahead by 6. Hartenstein was the night's best plus/minus at +8.
3/25 @ SAC 121-105 — OKC notes
OKC won 121-105. OKC shot 52% (43 of 82) to SAC's 41%, 19 of 32 from three, and went to the line 20 times to SAC's 12 — 16 points from the stripe to their 8. The glass went 52-36 for them. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 32 (10 of 23, 3 of 6 from three, 9 of 10 at the line); Holmgren added 18, Caruso 15. The hinge was Q2, 33-21: a lead of 10 became 22, and the lead reached 25. Caruso was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
3/27 vs MEM 125-104 — OKC notes
OKC won 125-104. OKC shot 49% (44 of 90) to MEM's 42%, 13 of 31 from three. OKC turned it over 12 times to MEM's 18. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 37 (15 of 25, 7 of 9 at the line); Jal. Williams added 20, Hartenstein 18. The hinge was Q4, 34-15: a lead of 2 became 21. Dort was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
3/29 vs IND 132-111 — OKC notes
OKC won 132-111. OKC shot 51% (48 of 94) to IND's 45%, 17 of 36 from three. Gilgeous-Alexander led with 33 (10 of 23, 3 of 6 from three, 10 of 12 at the line); Dort added 22, Joe 19. The hinge was Q2, 32-22: a lead of 2 became 12, and the lead reached 25. K. Williams was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
3/31 vs CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 105, shooting 50 percent and 47 from three, 22 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 32 and Dort at 14 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Wiggins (3 straight). One day's rest. Chicago comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 128 a night and allowing 117, shooting 51 percent and 44 from three, 24 free throws a game; White at 32 and Giddey at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Ball (14 straight), Smith (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the defense, OKC allowing 105 a night to Chicago's 117. Call it OKC 122, Chicago 113.
4/02 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 108, shooting 49 percent and 47 from three, 23 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 31 and Jal. Williams at 20 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Wiggins (4 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 119, shooting 48 percent and 41 from three, 30 free throws a game; Beasley at 18 and Hardaway Jr. at 16 a game. Without Cunningham (4 straight), Harris (2 straight), Smith (13 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where OKC has been plus-5 a night and Detroit minus-4 and the defense, OKC allowing 108 a night to Detroit's 119. Call it OKC 121, Detroit 112.
4/04 @ HOU — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 108, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Green at 23 and Sengun at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 13 a night. One day's rest. OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 128 a night and allowing 108, shooting 50 percent and 46 from three, 25 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 32 and Jal. Williams at 21 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Wiggins (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 46 percent from three to Houston's 38 and the glass, where Houston has been plus-13 a night and OKC plus-7. Call it Houston 116, OKC 115, OKC keeping it close.
4/06 vs LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 42 from three, 24 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 30 and Jal. Williams at 23 a game. One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 115, shooting 47 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Reaves at 27 and Dončić at 26 a game. They have lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Morris (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where OKC has been plus-0 a night and the Lakers minus-4 and the arc, OKC at 42 percent from three to the Lakers' 37. Call it OKC 120, the Lakers 111.
3/22 vs BKN 108-103 — IND notes
IND won 108-103. IND shot 48% (40 of 84) to BKN's 43%, 11 of 35 from three. Siakam led with 26 (10 of 20, 1 of 5 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Turner added 22, Haliburton 16. The hinge was Q3, 29-18: a lead of 9 became 20. Siakam was the night's best plus/minus at +12.
3/24 vs MIN 119-103 — IND notes
IND won 119-103. IND shot 49% (46 of 94) to MIN's 48%, 13 of 35 from three. IND turned it over 11 times to MIN's 17. Haliburton led with 24 (9 of 16, 3 of 7 from three); Toppin added 20, Nesmith 17. The hinge was Q3, 41-25: a lead of 6 became 22. Siakam was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
3/26 vs LAL 119-120 — IND notes
IND lost 119-120. IND took 8 more shots (87 to 79), but shot 51% to LAL's 52%, 15 of 36 from three. IND turned it over 9 times to LAL's 14. Mathurin led with 23 (7 of 16, 2 of 5 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Nembhard added 16, Turner 16. Q3 was theirs, 37-27, the deficit cut from 13 to 3, but the other 3 periods went 93-82 against them.
3/27 @ WAS 162-109 — IND notes
IND won 162-109. IND shot 64% (59 of 92) to WAS's 45%, 27 of 47 from three, and got to the line 19 times to WAS's 26. The glass went 50-31 for them. Haliburton led with 29 (9 of 15, 7 of 10 from three); Turner added 17, Walker 16. The hinge was Q4, 37-21: a lead of 37 became 53, and the lead reached 59. Walker was the night's best plus/minus at +31.
3/29 @ OKC 111-132 — IND notes
IND lost 111-132. IND shot 45% (39 of 87) to OKC's 51%, 14 of 42 from three. Haliburton led with 18 (6 of 12, 4 of 9 from three); Nembhard added 16, Toppin 12. Q4 was theirs, 31-30, the deficit cut from 22 to 21, but the other 3 periods went 102-80 against them. They led by as many as 10. Siakam's -22 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/31 vs SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 113, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 20 free throws a game; Haliburton at 21 and Siakam at 16 a game. Without Isa. Jackson (68 straight). One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 115, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; DeRozan at 19 and LaVine at 18 a game. One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the arc, Indiana at 41 percent from three to Sacramento's 35. Call it Indiana 119, Sacramento 111.
4/02 vs CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 18 free throws a game; Haliburton at 21 and Toppin at 15 a game. Without Mathurin (2 straight), Isa. Jackson (69 straight). One day's rest. Charlotte comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 102 a night and allowing 109, shooting 43 percent and 34 from three, 18 free throws a game; Bridges at 17 and Mar. Williams at 14 a game. Without Gra. Williams (59 straight), Baugh (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the arc, Indiana at 41 percent from three to Charlotte's 34 and the turnovers, Charlotte giving it away 16 times a game to Indiana's 11. Call it Indiana 117, Charlotte 108.
4/04 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 42 from three, 17 free throws a game; Haliburton at 21 and Turner at 15 a game. Without Mathurin (3 straight), Isa. Jackson (70 straight). One day's rest. Utah comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 129, shooting 43 percent and 30 from three, 20 free throws a game; Sexton at 18 and Collier at 16 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 15 a night. Without Collins (11 straight), Clarkson (5 straight), Potter (6 straight). One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Indiana has been minus-1 a night and Utah minus-15 and the arc, Indiana at 42 percent from three to Utah's 30. Call it Indiana 124, Utah 110, Indiana by 14.
4/06 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 116, shooting 52 percent and 37 from three, 26 free throws a game; Jokić at 40 and Porter Jr. at 22 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Murray (4 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 129 a night and allowing 113, shooting 53 percent and 41 from three, 21 free throws a game; Haliburton at 21 and Turner at 17 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Isa. Jackson (71 straight). One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Denver giving it away 16 times a game to Indiana's 10 and the arc, Indiana at 41 percent from three to Denver's 37. Call it Denver 119, Indiana 118, Indiana keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
INDAN A. Nembhard
AN A. Nesmith
BS B. Sheppard
JF J. Furphy
JW J. Walker
MT M. Turner
OT O. Toppin
PS P. Siakam
QJ Q. Jackson
TB T. Bradley
TB T. Bryant
TH T. Haliburton
TM T. McConnell
OKCAC A. Caruso
AF A. Flagler
BC B. Carlson
CW C. Wallace
DJ D. Jones
IH I. Hartenstein
IJ I. Joe
JW J. Williams
JW Jal. Williams
KW K. Williams
LD L. Dort
SG S. Gilgeous-Alexander
IND/OKC the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Gilgeous-Alexander scores 33 as league-leading Thunder top Pacers 132-111 for 9th straight win
OKLAHOMA CITY -- — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Indiana Pacers 132-111 on Saturday night for their ninth straight win.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's leading scorer, made 10 of 23 field goals and 10 of 12 free throws.
Lu Dort scored 22 points and made 6 of 7 3-pointers while Jalen Williams added 18 points for the Thunder.
Tyrese Haliburton had 18 points and Andrew Nembhard added 16 for the Pacers, who had won six of their previous seven games.
Oklahoma City dominated, even though forward/center Chet Holmgren sat out to manage the left hip injury he suffered early in the season. The Thunder now have a three-game lead on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the race for the league’s best record and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs with eight to play.
The Pacers entered Saturday fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and are trying to hold off the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks to earn homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Pacers were coming off a 162-109 win against the Washington Wizards , but they couldn’t duplicate the effort against a Thunder team with the league’s best defensive rating.
Takeaways Pacers: Indiana ran into the rare team that could handle playing at its breakneck pace. Even with the teams running and gunning, the Thunder shot 51.1% from the field and committed just nine turnovers.
Thunder: Oklahoma City took an in-game injury in stride. Isaiah Hartenstein left with left hip soreness and did not play in the second half. Oklahoma City outscored the Pacers 71-62 after the break.
Key mome nt Oklahoma City's Isaiah Joe hit a pair of 3-pointers 45 seconds apart late in the third quarter. The second pushed the Thunder lead to 98-78.
Key stat Gilgeous-Alexander made 6 of 18 shots the first three quarters, then made 4 of 5 in the fourth.
Up next The Pacers host Sacramento and the Thunder host Chicago, both on Monday night.