Buoyed by a Game 3 triumph that saw them seize a 2-1 advantage in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Indiana Pacers, spearheaded by the dynamic backcourt duo of Bennedict Mathurin and T.J. McConnell whose incandescent play fueled a decisive 49-18 bench scoring differential, nevertheless temper expectations heading into Game 4, cognisant of the Thunder's periodic dominance, particularly their potent starts to the first and third stanzas, and the imperative, as articulated by Head Coach Rick Carlisle, to cultivate a more ruthlessly clinical approach if they are to parlay their narrow lead into an unassailable position, especially given the spectre of a resurgent Thunder levelling the series at 2-2 and subsequently leveraging home-court advantage in two of the remaining three contests, all while navigating the uncertainty surrounding the fitness of pivotal center Myles Turner, currently battling illness, but whose continued presence remains indispensable to the Pacers' championship aspirations.