With Indy down 15 in the 4th, lightning struck in OKC — capped by more Haliburton magic.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
June 6, 2025
Indy Does It Again: Haliburton, Pacers pull off 5th 15+ point comeback this Playoffs
Depth Defined: Indy’s identity ignites a 4th-quarter flurry to flip Game 1
SGA’s Finals Debut: The Kia NBA MVP dropped a game-high 38 points in the loss
On The Ground: Go behind-the-scenes of a thrilling Game 1 in Oklahoma City
Unforgettable: Inside Allen Iverson’s Game 1 masterpiece in the 2001 NBA Finals
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Two days until Game 2…
After Thursday’s Game 1 thriller, the Thunder and Pacers have an off day before returning to the court for practice and media on Saturday (1:30 ET, NBA App) as they prepare for Sunday’s Game 2 (8 ET, ABC).
1. PACERS DO IT AGAIN, OPEN FINALS WITH (ANOTHER) HISTORIC COMEBACK
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New round. New opponent. Same Pacers. Same Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers led Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals for exactly 0.3 seconds. But it was the right 0.3 seconds.
Pacers 111, Thunder 110: After trailing by as many as 15 in the 4th and down nine with 2:52 to play, the Pacers closed the game on a 12-2 run, capped off by a familiar hero in Haliburton, whose pull-up jumper in the final second sealed Indiana’s epic win. Recap | Must-See Ending
- The 5th-year guard knocked down his 4th game-winning or game-tying shot in the final 5 seconds of a game this Playoffs.
- No player has more in a single postseason run. Only LeBron (8) has more in the entire play-by-play era (since 1998).
- First Round vs. Bucks (Game 5): Down 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in OT, the Pacers closed on an 8-0 run capped by Haliburton’s game-winning layup with 1.3 left
- East Semis vs. Cavs (Game 2): Down 119-112 with 48 seconds left, Indy closed on another 8-0 run, with Haliburton hitting the game-winning 3 with 1.1 left
- East Finals vs. Knicks (Game 1): Down 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in the 4th, the Pacers closed regulation on a 13-4 run capped by Haliburton’s game-tying toe-on-the-line 2 at the buzzer and went on to win in OT
- NBA Finals vs. Thunder (Game 1): Haliburton and the Pacers strike again to hand OKC its first home loss to an East team in 450 days. The last East squad to beat OKC at Paycom Center? The Pacers on March 12, 2024
“It ain’t over ’till it hits zero” – said Haliburton after improving to 6-of-6 shooting in the final 30 seconds of games in this year’s Playoffs.
No team has embodied the concept of ‘playing until the buzzer sounds’ more than the 2025 Indiana Pacers.
- It doesn’t matter the round. They’ve done it every step of the way
- It doesn’t matter the opponent. They’ve done it against all four they’ve faced
- It doesn’t matter the location. They’ve done it on the road four times
Thursday’s 15-point rally marked Indiana’s 5th 15+ point comeback of this Playoff run – the most in the play-by-play era.
It also matched the 2011 Mavs (Game 2) and 1992 Bulls (Game 6) for the largest 4th-quarter comeback in a Finals game since 1971.
Separated by 14 years, coach Rick Carlisle was on the sidelines for the last two 15+ point Finals comebacks – leading the Mavs in 2011 and the Pacers in 2025. After Indy’s latest rally, coach Carlisle shared his message to his team in the 4th quarter.
- “They went up 15, and we just said, ‘hey, let’s just keep chipping away at the rock, you know. Got to keep pounding the rock and just chip away and hang in.’
- “We had a lot of experience in these kinds of games, and our guys have a real good feel for what it’s all about, giving ourselves a chance, and we got fortunate but made plays.”
While Haliburton hit the hero’s shot in Game 1, it was the contributions from up and down the roster that kept Indiana within striking distance all night before handing the ball to their closer in the final seconds.
- “We’re a resilient group and we don’t give up till the clock hits zero. We do a great job of just staying in the moment. Try to get from 15 to 10, 10 to 5, 5 to 0. We just walk teams down. Real proud of this group.” – Haliburton on his team’s resolve
- “It is a 48-minute game. They teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league, the hard way.” – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Indiana’s Game 1 rally
2. DEPTH DEFINED: INDY’S FULL-TEAM FLURRY FLIPS GAME 1
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Under his own hoop, T.J. McConnell had nowhere to inbound the ball. The five-second count was ticking, and OKC’s defense was smothering – so he lofted a pass toward the top of the key.
It dropped straight into the arms of a striding Jalen Williams. Two dribbles later, he hammered it home on the other end. With 9:42 left, OKC was up 15 – and the Paycom Center was ready to burst.
- “A turnover and a costly one,” Mike Breen managed over the roaring OKC faithful. “Largest lead of the game. Timeout, Indiana.”
It was the story of the night for the Pacers, who entered the Finals averaging just 12.7 turnovers per game this postseason.
- By halftime, they had committed 19 – the most in any half of a Finals game in the play-by-play era, and the second-most in Playoff history
- OKC Aggression: 12 of those turnovers were Thunder steals – also a Finals record in the play-by-play era
But the Pacers refused to go away. Despite finishing with a season-high 24 turnovers, Indy allowed just 11 points off the miscues – OKC’s fewest such points since March 29, against Indiana.
Suddenly, a new story was being written – one we’ve seen all Playoffs – fueled by Indy’s resilience from top to bottom.
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All-In, Never Out: Since the NBA began tracking such data in 1971, teams were 0-182 in the Finals when trailing by 9+ points in the final three minutes.
As the Pacers made that record 1-182, every Indy player on the court contributed to the late-game rally.
- Indy Ignition: After a full lineup change following Williams’ dunk, Obi Toppin & Myles Turner sparked a 15-4 Indy run to cut its deficit to four – only for OKC to push the lead back to nine with 2:52 left
- But Indy Kept Coming: An Aaron Nesmith 3, an Andrew Nembhard triple followed by two free throws and a Pascal Siakam putback, made it a 110-109 game with just 49 ticks to play
- The Closer: 48.7 seconds later, Haliburton put Indy up one with 0.3 left – the latest first lead in a Finals victory in the last 50+ years
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Balanced Blueprint: Just as he has all Playoffs, Haliburton played the hero. But it was another trademark of the Pacers’ Playoff run that ignited the improbable comeback — not a solo takeover, but a full-team surge.
In a sport traditionally fueled by stars, Indy is just the third team ever to reach the Finals posting 115+ ppg in the Playoffs without a single scorer averaging more than 22.
On the game’s biggest stage, in a building where OKC had lost just once all postseason, that balance brought them back, stunning the basketball world – again.
- Depth Delivers: Led by Toppin (17), Indy’s bench outscored OKC’s 39-28, while all five of its starters – Siakam (19), Turner (15), Haliburton (14), Nembhard (14) and Nesmith (10) – finished in double figures
- Closing Crew: That group combined for 26 in the 4th – with four coming from Haliburton – while Toppin (6) and Bennedict Mathurin (3) added nine
- Winning Results: The Pacers are now 22-5 this season when all five starters score in double figures, including a 10-0 mark in the Playoffs – pushing them three wins shy of their first-ever title
- “Total team effort,” said Haliburton postgame. “So many guys chipped in. Obi off the bench, Myles in the 4th, Nembhard in the 4th – so many guys stepped up and I’m just really proud of this group.”
3. DESPITE LOSS, SGA SHINES IN FINALS DEBUT
In one moment, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flexed his footwork to shed a defender, completing a tough finish at the rim.
In another, he took a possession into his own hands, splitting the defense and attacking the paint to get a breezy bucket.
The recently-crowned Kia NBA MVP was as advertised in his Finals debut. He capped his night with a game-high 38 points on 14-of-30 shooting from the field, complemented by three swipes and five boards.
Just two predecessors – Allen Iverson (48) and George Mikan (42) – scored more in their first appearances on the league’s grandest stage.
- Home Cooking: Thursday marked SGA’s 8th straight home Playoff game with 30+ points, putting him on a pedestal with the longest streak in NBA history, passing Amar’e Stoudemire (2005) and Michael Jordan (1990) who had seven each
SGA found his form early. As both teams headed to the locker room at halftime, the 7th-year guard had already tallied 19 points – good for 33% of OKC’s production.
Highlight-reel layups and jumpers were only part of the scoring arsenal the three-time All-Star put on display for the Paycom Center crowd.
- Beyond The Arc: En route to a 3-of-6 clip from 3, SGA attempted and made the second-most 3s of any Thunder player in Game 1
- He ultimately produced a 12th game this postseason with 30 or more – the most by one player through a single Playoff run in franchise history, passing Kevin Durant
- Great Company: Others to accomplish it elsewhere in The Association include Hall-of-Famers Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal
After falling behind in a series for the first time since the West Semis, Shai kept Thursday’s stunning loss in perspective as OKC looks to bounce back in Game 2.
“We just got to focus on being better. The series isn’t first to one, it’s first to four. We have four more games to get, they have three. That’s just where we are.”
4. ON THE GROUND: ALL-ACCESS TO AN EPIC GAME 1 IN OKC
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Thirteen years since the Paycom Center last hosted a Finals game, the building pulsed with anticipation before the opening tip – but the show started long before fans filled their seats.
- Finals Ready: Tyrese Haliburton strolled into the arena with his new signature shoes in hand, soaking in the moment of his first Finals appearance
- Game 1 In Hali 1s: Soon after, cameras caught him lacing them up for the first time – a quiet moment before the storm
Shai Signs In: While Haliburton showcased his signature shoe, SGA made his entrance with signature style.
- More Shai Signatures: SGA stayed true to form with another pregame ritual – spending nearly seven minutes signing autographs, making his way down the tunnel without missing a single fan
- Eyes Wide: Player Correspondent and Sixers guard Jared McCain was taking it all in from Section 102: “I love you, NBA.”
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Buzz To Buckets: McCain wasn’t the only one soaking it in – the building was buzzing from the jump. And when SGA laid in the opening bucket, the Finals were officially underway.
- Eye Of The Storm: Feel the roar from inside the Paycom Center as Shai opens the scoring
- “It’s insanely loud in here,” said McCain. “The Paycom Center is going nuts … I can’t even hear myself – one of the greatest moments of my life here.”
- But Then… Silence: Witness Haliburton’s epic game-winner live as he stuns the OKC faithful
- Must-See Reax: Watch McCain absolutely lose it in the crowd, while the Gainbridge Fieldhouse erupts watching the winner from back home
- “You couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Finals Correspondent Agent after the game. “I’m excited for the rest of the series – I really hope it goes to seven.”
“It’s gotta be the shoooeeesss” – Haliburton’s final Game 1 assessment after his most recent game-winner
5. UNFORGETTABLE: IVERSON’S 2001 GAME 1 MASTERPIECE
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Twenty-four years ago today, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers rolled their way into the 2001 Finals with a perfect 11-0 Playoff record, chasing history as the first team to sweep through an entire postseason.
That dominance continued early in Game 1 against the Sixers, as L.A. jumped out to a 21-9 lead.
Then Allen Iverson happened.
AI dropped 30 in the 1st half to will the Sixers back and force OT, where he erased a five-point deficit with seven straight points, including a step-back jumper on Tyronn Lue – immortalized by his iconic step-over.
Iverson finished with 48 points, carrying the Sixers to a stunning 107-101 victory – the only loss the Lakers would suffer that postseason.
AI hits the clutch 3 to put Philly up for good in OT
Here’s how The Answer described the win:
“This is my first Finals. Dream come true … I’ve been waiting for this opportunity all my life. I’m not thinking about fatigue right now – fatigues are army clothes … We just kept fighting.”
“You’re not going to stop Shaquille O’Neal – there’s no way. He’s the biggest man in the game … You’re not going to contain Kobe Bryant – he’s too talented … You can’t stop ‘em, because they’re going to keep playing, and that’s what my game’s about.”
“I’m going to keep fighting and at the end, hopefully I can make that critical shot, or get that critical steal or rebound. Anything. Anything it takes to help my teammates. It’s not about points when you get this far in the season. It’s about just playing hard and playing as a team.”
On the eve of his 50th birthday, Iverson’s Game 1 masterpiece remains one of the greatest individual performances in Finals history – not just for the step-over, or the stat line, but for the heart behind it.
