Thunder show 'blood and guts' to even NBA Finals against Pacers

The Oklahoma City Thunder reached the NBA Finals by producing one of the season's statistical marvels.

The Oklahoma City Thunder reached the NBA Finals by producing one of the season's statistical marvels. Their longest losing streak was just two games. And over an eight-month season, they lost consecutive games only two times.

For much of Friday night in Indianapolis, it appeared as though the Indiana Pacers were close to doing the unthinkable and hand the Thunder only their season's third losing streak, and with it, take control of the Finals with a commanding 3-1 lead — a deficit that only one team in NBA history had overcome.

Instead, by beating Indiana at its own game and dominating the game late, Oklahoma City rebounded from a stunning loss only 48 hours earlier to win Game 4 of the Finals 111-104 to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

"That was just a great blood-and-guts win," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said postgame.

The same Indiana team that entered unmatched in "clutch" scenarios, with a 9-1 record in playoff games within five points in the final five minutes, was outscored by 14 points in the fourth quarter, and managed only five points over the final four minutes.