The Oklahoma City Thunder’s 116-107 loss at the hands of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night was seen as a surprise — but should it have been, considering the holes that have been quietly exposed in each of the team’s losses this postseason?
Thunder Finals Game 3 Defeat Exposes Missing Pieces and Biggest Draft Needs
Make no mistake: The Thunder have had a terrific season. They earned the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed for the second straight year, notching a franchise-record 68 regular-season wins. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team’s superstar guard, was named league MVP.
They reached the NBA Finals after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round, staving off elimination against the Denver Nuggets, and dismantling the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Conference Finals in five games. The Denver Nuggets were the only team that gave them real trouble — pushing their semifinal series to seven games before the Thunder escaped.
Oklahoma City now meets the Pacers, who’ve had a magical run to the Finals but were heavy underdogs when the series began. That’s no longer the case after Indiana pulled off a miraculous comeback in Game 1 and a convincing Game 3 win at home.
Facing a 2-1 deficit and another road game Friday night, the Thunder have to be honest with themselves this offseason — even if they come back and win the series.
Multiple holes have been poked in this seemingly indestructible Thunder lineup, which features Gilgeous-Alexander, third-team All-NBA forward Jalen Williams, budding All-Star Chet Holmgren and a slew of high-level, defensive-minded role players.
And while they ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency with a 117.3 rating, according to ESPN’s Hollinger Team Statistics, they lack a traditional point guard and any consistent offensive creator off the bench.
Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace (who’s starting this series due to matchups but logging similar minutes as he did off the bench) can all shoot and defend, but none can reliably create their own shot. Wallace, in just his second season, has the potential to grow into that role but hasn’t quite blossomed yet on offense.
That contrasts with the Pacers, whose second unit includes jitterbug point guard T.J. McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin — all capable of creating their own looks.
Toppin stole the show in Game 1, bouncing back from a rough first quarter to post 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting from deep and a +13 plus-minus.
In Game 3, it was McConnell and Mathurin who starred. McConnell poured in 10 points with several pull-up jumpers, added five assists, and grabbed five steals — three of which led directly to Pacers buckets. Mathurin slashed his way to a game-high 27 points off the bench — the most by a reserve in an NBA Finals game since Jason Terry in 2011.
Bennedict Mathurin dropped the most points off the bench in an NBA Finals game since Jason Terry in 2011 🔥 pic.twitter.com/W6E6OQJ4Z2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 12, 2025
McConnell finished a +12. Mathurin was +16.
The Thunder ranked 15th in bench scoring during the regular season with 35.1 points per game, while the Pacers ranked sixth with 39.8.
That’s where Indiana has done its damage: outscoring OKC in bench points 39-28 in Game 1 and 49-18 in Game 3.
The idea that bench scoring fades in the playoffs has been squashed by head coach Rick Carlisle, who has stuck to his regular rotation — with incredible results.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has done the same, using 11 players in Games 1 and 3 and 10 players in their blowout Game 2 win.
But OKC’s lack of a creator limits its second unit, forcing Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams to carry even more responsibility.
Williams, an All-Star in 2025, is ascending but had issues last postseason and has shown similar struggles again. He had a rough series against Denver, averaging 17.6 points on 37.5% shooting. In Game 1 against Indiana, he scored 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting while Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 on 30 shots — clearly pressing.
It’s hard to define a third creator in OKC. Holmgren has some shot-making ability but averaged just two assists in the regular season and has just three total in the Finals.
Looking ahead, a third offensive option must be a focus — whether from development, free agency or the draft.
As noted in a recent offseason breakdown: “The Thunder could add a veteran point guard who can help take some of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ball-handling responsibilities off the floor and run the offense when he’s not on it.”
“But then again,” the piece continued, “2024 No. 12 pick Nikola Topic played point guard overseas and, despite missing his entire rookie season with a partially torn ACL, figures into Oklahoma City’s plans.”
Topic, a 6-foot-6 passer and scorer with positional size, was one of Europe’s top prospects before his injury. His jump shot remains a question, but he has the tools to be a high-level creator.
If he isn’t the answer, the Thunder may look to the draft. Holding picks No. 15 and 24, there are a few viable options, per PFSN’s mock draft simulator.
Nolan Traore, a 6-foot-5 French point guard, is one of the draft’s fastest players and fits OKC’s pace. His passing is strong, but like Topic, his shooting needs polish.
Ben Saraf, projected around No. 24, is an Israeli guard known for slicing into defenses and scoring at the rim — a skill set that could fit nicely with the second unit.
Even so, this series is far from over. Oklahoma City could catch fire, win three straight and take the title.
But whether they win or not, the need for another offensive creator is clear — and it’s a top priority for the Thunder front office if they hope to return to the Finals and stay there.