Tyrese Haliburton silenced the Oklahoma City crowd with a mid-range jumper with just 0.3 seconds remaining, giving the "Indiana Pacers" a shocking 111-110 victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers point guard delivered his fourth game-winning shot of these playoffs, erasing what had been a 15-point Thunder lead with less than 10 minutes to play.
"We keep believing, we stay together, it's not over until the clock hits zero, we keep pushing," Haliburton said immediately after the game, still riding the emotional high of his clutch moment. "I'm really proud of this group."
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominated for most of the night, pouring in 38 points for the "Thunder," but his mid-range attempt with 11 seconds left rimmed out, setting the stage for Haliburton's heroics. The MVP candidate shot 14-for-30 from the field but couldn't connect when it mattered most.
What makes this victory even more remarkable? The "Pacers" committed 24 turnovers against Oklahoma City's vaunted defense yet still found a way to steal home-court advantage.
Pascal Siakam delivered a crucial double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, including a pivotal putback with 24 seconds remaining that cut the Thunder lead to just one point. Myles Turner scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, while Obi Toppin provided a spark off the bench with 17 points, connecting on 5 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc.
Andrew Nembhard played the unsung hero role perfectly, contributing 14 points while taking on the primary defensive assignment against Gilgeous-Alexander. In a rare display of frustration, SGA even gave his Canadian national team teammate a small swipe after drawing a foul – perhaps the clearest sign of how effectively the Pacers were getting under the Thunder's skin.
The "Thunder" seemed to be cruising toward a comfortable win for much of the contest, holding a 57-45 lead at halftime and stretching it to 15 points deep into the second half. But Rick Carlisle made key adjustments, with his team attacking the paint more aggressively as the game progressed.
By the way, Oklahoma City's offense stalled badly down the stretch. Despite committing only 6 turnovers all night, the Thunder managed just 13 assists and became overly reliant on isolation plays from Gilgeous-Alexander. Jaylen Williams struggled with his shot (6-for-19) despite scoring 17 points, while Chet Holmgren was nearly invisible offensively, scoring just 6 points on 2-of-9 shooting.
"We've won in many different and strange ways over the last two years," Haliburton acknowledged. The supposedly "overrated" guard (according to an anonymous player poll) continues to prove his critics wrong on the biggest stage.
Can the Pacers continue to defy logic and expectations? With their unwavering self-belief and Haliburton's late-game magic, they've already accomplished what many thought impossible – stealing Game 1 from the favored Thunder on the road.
