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In a postseason defined by wild comebacks and high-stakes drama, no team has risen to the occasion quite like Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers. Writing them off has become a costly mistake—even against a heavyweight like the Oklahoma City Thunder. On Thursday night, they showed why once again, mounting a remarkable late surge to escape with a 111-110 win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, capping off an unforgettable thriller.
Trailing by 15 with just nine minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the outcome looked sealed. The Thunder were in full control—their defense locked in, forcing turnovers at will, and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was delivering exactly what was expected of him.
But Mr. Overrated, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers weren’t ready to fold. The All-Star guard capped off a series of clutch plays from Indiana’s supporting cast by burying the game-winner with just 0.3 seconds left, pushing his team over the top. The Pacers are riding a postseason run unlike anything we’ve seen—and the numbers back it up.
Heading into Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder were nearly untouchable against the Eastern Conference. They carried an 18-game winning streak and an imposing 29-1 record against the East, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
OKC vs. the East heading into Game 1 of the NBA Finals last night 👀
🔸18-game winning streak
🔸29-1 record (Lone loss was to the Cavs)Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers become just the second team from the East to defeat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. pic.twitter.com/Nl5B43sbQB
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 6, 2025
The Pacers win against the Thunder by the numbers
But Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers changed that narrative in dramatic fashion. With their thrilling heartbreaker of a win, Indiana became just the second Eastern Conference team to take down the Thunder this season. Remarkably, the last time OKC lost at home to an Eastern team was 450 days ago—on March 12, 2024—and that loss also came against the Pacers.
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The Pacers held the lead in Game 1 for just 0.3 seconds—the final 0.3 seconds, to be exact. Gilgeous-Alexander opened the scoring at the 11:15 mark in the first quarter, and the Thunder controlled the scoreboard from that point on—until Tyrese Haliburton’s dagger flipped the script.
It was a masterclass in patience and execution from Indiana, who waited until the very last moment to snatch the win. In a game where every second mattered, they took the only lead that truly counts.
The Pacers were outmuscled in turnovers, 25 to 6, yet made history as the first team ever to win a playoff game while handing over 19 more possessions than their rivals. Pulling off that feat in the Finals only adds to the achievement.
Indiana also became the first team since the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers to win an NBA Finals game while committing 25 or more turnovers.
The Pacers’ 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter matched the fourth-largest rally in NBA Finals history. Such a comeback hadn’t happened in 14 years—the last team to pull it off was the 2011 Dallas Mavericks, led by none other than current Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.
If these wild coincidences keep piling up and the Pacers stay locked in, they just might pull off the unthinkable and bring home the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship.
