How did Pacers manage to achieve the unthinkable once again?
In a stunning Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton delivered another clutch game-winner, propelling the Indiana Pacers to a 111-110 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers defied historical odds, rallying from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit – a scenario teams trailing by 9+ points in the final 3 minutes of an NBA Finals game had never overcome since 1971 (0-182 record).
What unfolded in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night was nothing short of historic. With just over nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Jalen Williams' dunk extended the Oklahoma City Thunder's lead to a commanding 94-79. The home team had controlled the entire contest, never once trailing. Yet, in a dramatic twist that will be replayed for years, the Indiana Pacers orchestrated a stunning 32-16 run down the stretch, culminating in a 111-110 victory that snatched both the game and home-court advantage.
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The Pacers have now cheated death FOUR times in this year's playoffs.
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 6, 2025
- Bucks: 97.9 win% up 7 points in final 35 seconds
- Cavaliers: 95.9 win% up 7 points in final minute
- Knicks: 99.7 win% up 14 points in final 3 minutes
- Thunder: 96.4 win% up 9 in final 3 minutes pic.twitter.com/NZ5Ktp8Rko
This breathtaking comeback marked the fourth improbable rally for Indiana in their playoff journey. Tyrese Haliburton has been the central figure in each, delivering clutch plays to seal wins against the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and forcing overtime against the New York Knicks. His latest heroics came with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock, a pull-up jumper that gave the Pacers their first lead of the entire night, leaving the Thunder without a response.
Tyrese Haliburton is 6-for-7 (85.7%) when taking a shot to tie or take the lead in the final 90 seconds of the 4th or OT this playoffs.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) June 6, 2025
That’s the most such shots in a single postseason since 1997.
"I had a good idea, yeah," Haliburton confidently remarked when asked if he knew the shot was going in. "It's a shot I've worked on a million times, and I'll work on it a million times more." His incredible clutch performance is backed by statistics: in these playoffs, Haliburton is a remarkable 6-for-7 (85.7%) on shots to tie or take the lead in the final 90 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime – the most such shots in a single postseason since 1997.
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While Haliburton delivered the decisive blow, the comeback was a true team effort. Following Williams' dunk that pushed OKC's lead to 15, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle implored his team to "just keep chipping away at the rock." Indiana responded immediately with crucial three-point plays, including an Andrew Nembhard layup-and-one, followed by vital three-pointers from Obi Toppin and Myles Turner. This quick burst trimmed the deficit to single digits, setting the stage for a tense finale.
Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's efforts to rebuild the lead, pushing it back to 108-99 with under three minutes to play, the Pacers' resolve was unbreakable. Aaron Nesmith and Nembhard drilled back-to-back threes, narrowing the gap to 108-105. Then, in the final minute, Pascal Siakam's put-back brought Indiana within one. With just 11 seconds left, Gilgeous-Alexander missed a 15-foot jumper, Aaron Nesmith secured the rebound, found Haliburton, "and the rest," as Myles Turner simply put it, "is history." This audacious comeback, defying decades of Finals history, sets a thrilling tone for the series.
