In a thrilling climax to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton clinched victory for the Indiana Pacers with a basket just 0.3 seconds on the clock, marking their first and only lead of the match against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with a final score of 111-110. The Pacers showcased their resilience once again, overturning a 15-point deficit with 9:42 remaining, a comeback reminiscent of the Dallas Mavericks’ 15-point turnaround against Miami in the 2011 Finals, coached by Rick Carlisle, who now leads the Pacers.
Indiana’s tenacity has been evident throughout these playoffs, with previous nail-biting victories, including a narrow win against Milwaukee, where they scored 119-118 after trailing, as well as dramatic finishes against Cleveland and New York. In this encounter, Pascal Siakam emerged as the top scorer for Indiana, netting 19 points, while Obi Toppin contributed 17 and Myles Turner added 15. Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each chipped in with 14 points.
The Thunder, having enjoyed a strong home record and thriving with 15-point leads previously this season, were dominant through much of the match. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the scoring with a remarkable 38 points for Oklahoma City.
The critical moment came when Carlisle made the bold decision to bench all five starting players during the fourth quarter, a tactic that ignited a pivotal run for the Pacers. They surged back to cut the Thunder’s lead to 98-94 following a three-pointer from Turner with just over six minutes remaining, maintaining their momentum until the final buzzer.
Game 2 will see the teams back in Oklahoma City, set to commence Monday morning (AEST), where both squads will seek to gain the upper hand in this highly competitive finals series.