BBNBA: Tyrese Haliburton does it again as Pacers come up clutch in Game 1 of Finals

Tyrese Haliburton is on a playoff heater unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

The Indiana Pacers star guard came into the 2025 NBA Finals having already hit a trio of impossible game-changing shots in each of the previous three series. Every single time, it appeared as though Indiana was going to take the L. The Pacers always trailed late before a flurry of unbelievable shots, capped off by Haliburton, pushed them to wins at the very last second. It happened against the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Knicks. The NBA outlined every situation:

• April 29, Indiana trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime. Haliburton scored with 1.4 seconds remaining and the Pacers won 119-118.
• May 6, Indiana trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. Haliburton got the game-winner with 1.1 seconds to play.
• May 21, Indiana trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation. Haliburton sent it to overtime on a jumper with no time on the clock; Indiana won 138-135.

And on Thursday night, it happened to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Finals.

TYRESE HALIBURTON GIVES THE PACERS THE LEAD!

GET TO ABC NOW FOR THE FINISH! pic.twitter.com/l4SPrNspGG

— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 2025

The Thunder was, quite literally, in control of Game 1 for nearly the entire 48 minutes. OKC led by 15 points with under 10 minutes to go, but Indiana, as calm and cool as always, continued to chip away. A pair of SGA free throws made it a nine-point Thunder lead with under three minutes remaining. Teams trailing by nine with under three minutes to go in the NBA Finals were 0-182 coming into this game.

But Aaron Nesmith hit a tough three-pointer and Andrew Nembhard put together a nasty stepback combo for another triple (in Gilgeous-Alexander’s eye) to keep Indiana alive. The league’s Most Valuable Player, SGA, missed a couple of key shots down the stretch that would have sealed the OKC win, including a bricked mid-ranger that ultimately led to Haliburton’s fourth miracle shot and a 111-110 win for the Pacers.

Make it 1-182.

For the Thunder, this is about as unthinkable a way to lose an NBA Finals opener as any. OKC led the entire game until the final 0.3 seconds. It was a double-digit lead for most of the third quarter. Gilgeous-Alexander was excellent overall, finishing with 38 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals with just two turnovers. He shot 14-30 from the field, 3-6 from deep, and 7-8 from the free throw line in his 39 minutes. But no other Thunder had more than 17 points while six Pacers scored at least 10.

SGA did everything he could to win OKC Game 1, but those missed shots in the closing minutes will be what haunts him for the next 48 hours. His backcourt teammate, Cason Wallace, was key defensively in his 33 minutes. Wallace finished with six points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block, but only shot 3-9 from the field and missed all three of his looks from deep. He missed a pair of triples in the fourth quarter that would have gone a long way in extending the Thunder’s lead.

Oklahoma City came into these Finals as the overwhelming favorite to win the series. Just going off the betting odds and projected analytics, the Pacers somehow winning four out of seven games would be historic and unprecedented. They managed to steal the first one on the road in another clutch setting. It doesn’t matter how much they bend, this Indiana team never, ever breaks.

Game 2 returns to OKC on Sunday night. It becomes a must-win situation for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. Tipoff is set for Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

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