The Oklahoma City Thunder had complete control for most of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Behind a dominant first half and elite defense, they looked poised to take a 1-0 series lead over the Indiana Pacers. But a stunning late-game turnaround by Indiana left Oklahoma City stunned in a 111-110 loss — capped by another Tyrese Haliburton game-winner.

Despite the defeat, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t focused on the collapse itself. Instead, he emphasized the lesson learned.

“It is a 48-minute game. [The Pacers] teach you that lesson more than anybody else in the league the hard way.”

The Thunder vs. Pacers battle saw Gilgeous-Alexander drop 38 points in his NBA Finals debut. But a 15-point fourth-quarter lead wasn’t enough. Chet Holmgren struggled mightily, scoring just six points on 2-of-9 shooting as Indiana slowly chipped away.

The defining moment came with 0.3 seconds left when Haliburton hit the go-ahead jumper, his fourth such game-winner of these playoffs. The Thunder had one last chance but couldn’t convert the lob play at the buzzer.

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In a post shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, a video shows the 2025 MVP addressing whether the loss reminded him of their second-round opener against Denver. What the superstar had to say was telling of his maturity.

 

“We just got to focus on being better. This series isn't first to 1, it's first to 4… It's not rocket science. We lost Game 1. We have to be better.”

That mindset reflects the leadership Oklahoma City has leaned on all year. Despite the gut punch of losing at home in such dramatic fashion, the Thunder remain confident in their identity. Gilgeous-Alexander's calm, no-nonsense approach set the tone for a team that has bounced back from adversity all season — including tough losses in earlier playoff rounds.

This Game 1 collapse was historic, but the Thunder are still in control of their own destiny. As OKC prepares for Game 2, the focus now shifts to rebounding from this punch and stopping Haliburton from delivering another.