Tyrese Haliburton delivered the decisive basket with just 0.3 seconds remaining, marking the Indiana Pacers’ first and only lead of the match. Seizing their reputation as the masters of late-game comebacks, the Pacers triumphed over the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Indiana found themselves trailing by 15 points with 9:42 remaining, completing the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in a finals match since the Dallas Mavericks clawed back from 15 down to defeat Miami on June 2, 2011.
Notably, the head coach of that Mavericks team was Rick Carlisle, the same coach guiding the Pacers now.
Once again, Indiana demonstrated their resilience, mirroring previous playoff performances. On April 29, they were behind Milwaukee 118-111 with just 34.6 seconds left in overtime, eventually clinching a 119-118 victory.
On May 6, they trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds to go, but turned it around to win 120-119.
On May 21, they faced a 121-112 deficit against New York with 51.1 seconds remaining in regulation, only to secure a thrilling 138-135 overtime win.
Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers nets his shot with .3 seconds remaining during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 5, 2025, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: By downloading and using this photograph, the user acknowledges and agrees to the terms of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Getty)
What an extraordinary finish.
Pascal Siakam was the standout for the Pacers, leading with 19 points. Obi Toppin added 17 points, Myles Turner contributed 15, while Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard both chipped in with 14.
On the other side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topped the scoring chart for Oklahoma City with 38 points, despite the Thunder holding a strong home record of 36-1 when leading by 15 points this season.
Haliburton celebrating his game-winning shot. NBAE via Getty Images
Game 2 will take place in Oklahoma City on Monday morning (AEST).
During the early stages of the fourth quarter, Oklahoma City was ahead by 15 points when Carlisle called a timeout and substituted all five players in a bid to ignite a spark. The strategy paid off.
The Pacers responded with a 15-4 run over the next 3:26, narrowing the score to 98-94 with a three-pointer from Turner with 6:16 remaining.
They maintained their momentum right to the bitter end.
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