Pro hoops are replete with examples of erstwhile role players breaking out when the lights shine brightest. In the 2025 National Basketball Association Finals, that player is most certainly Bennedict Mathurin. The sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft delivered the best performance of his young career yesterday, in the process helping the Pacers take Game Three of — and a 2-1 lead in — the best-of-seven affair.

Making full use of his 22 minutes on the court, he scored a whopping 27 points off just 12 shots and, just as importantly, held his own on defense for a second-best plus-16 net rating.

To be sure, Mathurin’s performance carried emotional weight. Last season, he missed the entire 2024 playoffs due to an ankle injury. Compelled to watch from the bench as the Pacers battled through the postseason without him, he resolved to be primed for action once the opportunity presented itself again.

To his credit, that readiness was on full display in Game Three. He scored 14 points in the first half, keeping the scores close while the Thunder pushed the pace. Then, when it mattered most, he took over, adding 10 points in the fourth quarter as the hosts closed the contest on a 32–18 run — to the immense satisfaction of the 17,274 fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

To be sure, the Pacers didn’t simply win Game 3. They wore the Thunder down by pushing the tempo from start to finish, turning every defensive rebound into a transition opportunity. Their constant motion and unwavering commitment to the pace-and-space game exposed cracks in the cause of the Thunder who had hitherto built a well-deserved reputation for relentless athleticism.

By the final canto, they stayed energized even as their competition looked — and played — spent. And, yes, Mathurin was the personification of that pace: cutting hard, running lanes, and attacking closeouts with fresher legs and quicker thinking.

Significantly, Mathurin was part of the Pacers’ second unit that outscored their Thunder counterparts 49 to 18. They changed the energy yesterday, with their efficiency and steadiness offering another dimension the visitors failed to match. And they didn’t simply provide scoring; they delivered in the crunch against all-but-spent coverage.

Under the circumstances, it’s fair to argue that the Pacers have momentum. The Thunder remain formidable, but not for nothing have 80% of teams that take a two-to-one lead in the Finals gone on to claim the title.

Tomorrow, they will be aiming for a commanding advantage at home. And, no doubt, Mathurin will again strive to make an impact. He had a hot Game Three; now, he’s angling to consolidate his series-shifting turn with a definitive Game Four.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.