They say timing is everything in the NBA, but what happens when the moment you waited decades for slips right through your fingers? For Indiana fans, Game 4 was supposed to be the coronation. Not just for the players on the court, but for the ghosts of Gainbridge past watching from the sidelines. Generations of heartbreak hung in the rafters. Reggie Miller was back, and even the crowd had that glint… like they could taste destiny. Instead, they watched the script get shredded in real time. Because if basketball gods exist, they certainly have a cruel sense of timing. Why, you wonder?

Because with 3:52 left in the fourth, the Gainbridge crowd roared as Reggie Miller and a full squad of Pacers legends stood courtside for a picture that felt… premature. Smiles flashed, chests puffed, cameras clicked. And then? Silence. Because someone forgot to tell Alex Caruso the game wasn’t over. The veteran guard, known for his playoff grit, stirred Oklahoma City back to life with 20 points, diving for loose balls, locking up possessions, and steadying a young Thunder squad just when it mattered most. What looked like a feel-good Pacers photo op quickly turned awkward. Because Caruso flipped the script with 111-104.

What made it all the more shocking? This wasn’t some desperate fourth-quarter run from a team trying to avoid a sweep. This was Indiana’s chance to go up 3–1 in the NBA Finals. The legends came out in full force. They were courtside, sharing laughs and posing for what should have been a victory moment. It felt like a torch had finally been passed. But one Alex Caruso steal later, that torch burned out.

And yes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked off again. Not lost, but uncertain. His usually sharp movements had a bit of hesitation. His drives didn’t always slice, they paused, considered. Even ESPN’s Mike Breen hinted at it after Game 3, saying that Shai & Co. looked “unsure”, and well, that attitude was enough to make you reevaluate everything heading into what might be the most important Finals game yet. That same tension lingered in Game 4… until Caruso grabbed the reins. And reevaluate, they did!

Because Game 4 brought a different Shai. With 35 points, Gilgeous-Alexander dismantled all the doubts, rightly so. Each possession grew more confident, every shot a statement. And while Caruso might’ve been the spark, Shai turned into the storm. The same Mike Breen who expressed uncertainty a game prior was now… well, uncertain himself. That’s how fast things shift in the Finals.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Indiana had already begun its celebration. The image of Reggie Miller grinning widely while the box score still ticked is now etched into the Finals lore. It’s the kind of moment that makes highlight reels for all the wrong reasons. The Pacers believed they were closing in on history. Instead, they opened the door wide for a Game 5 that now feels like a brand-new series.

Reggie’s premature Game 4 celebration says it all

Reggie Miller, who built his legend on clutch moments and infamous choke gestures (which is looking quite funny now that you think about it), could only watch as the Thunder turned the lights down on Indiana’s party. This was supposed to be the night. The night the Pacers seized control. But instead of fireworks, Game 4 ended in a gut punch, and that’s on more than just one blown lead. It’s a reminder that the Finals demand experience, nerve, and execution when the clock matters most. And no one showed more of that than Caruso.

And while Reggie’s presence courtside added gravitas, it was Rick Carlisle’s behind-the-scenes mastery that nearly got Indiana there in the first place. Carlisle has been Belichick-ing this Finals series, meticulously dissecting OKC’s tendencies, especially zeroing in on how to disrupt Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rhythm. “The adjustments game to game now, it’s all about level of force, not necessarily strategy,” Carlisle said pregame.

And Indiana brought it, doubling Shai, crowding his angles, making every decision feel like a trap. For three quarters, it worked. Until it didn’t, which, by the way, was enough of a spark to silence approximately 8.95 million people worldwide, Pacers faithful or not. For Indiana now, though, it’s back to the drawing board. For OKC, it’s a statement. Despite being a young team, they’re not just here to learn. They’re here to win. And now, the series heads back to Oklahoma City tied 2-2… exactly the chaos we signed up for.