In a heart-pounding Recreation 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton delivered a second for the ages. With simply 0.3 seconds remaining on the clock, the Indiana Pacers’ All-Star guard sank a mid-range jumper that sealed a dramatic 111–110 victory over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. For a franchise that hasn’t reached the NBA Finals in 25 years, Haliburton’s heroics supplied not solely an exhilarating win however an enormous confidence enhance of their quest for the championship.
A Second that Outlined a Recreation
With the Pacers trailing by one and the sport seemingly slipping away, head coach Rick Carlisle drew up a ultimate play out of a timeout. The goal? Haliburton—Indiana’s ground common and offensive catalyst. The inbound discovered him close to the highest of the important thing. He took a single dribble to his left, rose over the outstretched arms of Thunder defender Lu Dort, and calmly knocked down the jumper.
The world erupted. Haliburton, recognized extra for his unselfish playmaking than late-game heroics, ran again down the courtroom stone-faced, flanked by ecstatic teammates. There was no time for Oklahoma Metropolis to reply. The buzzer sounded, and Recreation 1 belonged to the Indiana Pacers.
Haliburton’s Quiet Begin, Loud End
What made the ultimate shot much more spectacular was how quiet Haliburton had been for a lot of the evening. By three quarters, he had simply 9 factors and seemed to be struggling to search out his rhythm. Oklahoma Metropolis’s protection was relentless, hounding him with traps and forcing the ball out of his arms.
However Haliburton stayed affected person. He directed the offense, discovered his teammates, and waited for his second. That second got here within the ultimate 90 seconds, when he scored six of Indiana’s final eight factors, together with the dagger. He completed with 14 factors, 10 boards, 6 assists, on 46% capturing, a stat line that doesn’t totally seize his affect on the sport’s end result.
Thunder Strike First, However Can’t End
The Thunder entered Recreation 1 driving excessive. They’d dominated the Western Convention playoffs, with MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander main the cost. True to type, Gilgeous-Alexander was spectacular in Recreation 1, dropping 38 factors on quite a lot of floaters, pull-ups, and acrobatic drives. He seemed unguardable for a lot of the evening and had the Thunder up by as many as 15 factors within the third quarter.
Oklahoma Metropolis exploited Indiana’s sloppiness early, forcing 19 turnovers within the first half alone. The Pacers appeared out of sync, rattled by the Thunder’s size and defensive stress. However as the sport wore on, Indiana settled down, adjusted to the pace of the Finals, and started to chip away on the deficit.
The Pacers’ Supporting Solid Steps Up
Whereas Haliburton delivered the signature second, he didn’t do it alone. Myles Turner was enormous on each ends of the ground, ending with 15 factors, 9 rebounds, and three blocks. His means to stretch the ground and shield the rim gave Indiana a combating probability.
Obi Toppin introduced vitality off the bench, contributing 17 factors and a vital putback dunk late within the fourth quarter that reduce the result in one. Andrew Nembhard, in the meantime, performed maybe his greatest sport of the postseason. The second-year guard from Gonzaga saved the offense flowing when Haliburton sat, and even spent a while guarding Gilgeous-Alexander, holding his personal towards one of many league’s most dynamic scorers.
Collectively, the Pacers’ ensemble forged gave Haliburton the platform to shine—and so they have been all mobbing him after the buzzer-beater.
A Franchise Reborn
This Finals run has been years within the making for Indiana. After many years of mediocrity and a number of first-round playoff exits, the Pacers retooled their roster round youth, versatility, and unselfishness. Haliburton, acquired in a daring midseason commerce in 2022, was the centerpiece of that shift.
His arrival modified the tradition. The Pacers now play quicker, share the ball extra, and defend with a collective depth. And whereas Haliburton was already seen as a rising star, his Recreation 1 efficiency confirmed that he’s able to delivering underneath the brightest lights.
For the town of Indianapolis, lengthy starved for NBA glory because the Reggie Miller period, Haliburton’s game-winner was a cathartic launch. Followers roared in celebration, sensing this could possibly be the start of one thing particular.
Thunder Left Shocked
For the Thunder, Recreation 1 was a intestine punch. They did so many issues proper. Their defensive rotations have been sharp, their ball motion crisp, and their bench contributed strong minutes. Jalen Williams added 17 factors, and Chet Holmgren had 6 factors and 6 rebounds.
But it wasn’t sufficient. Oklahoma Metropolis struggled to execute within the ultimate minutes, lacking open seems and committing expensive turnovers. A questionable no-call on Gilgeous-Alexander’s ultimate drive with 12 seconds left gave Indiana one final probability—and Haliburton made them pay.
Coach Mark Daigneault emphasised postgame that it’s a seven-game sequence and that his younger squad would regroup. However there’s little doubt that shedding Recreation 1 in such dramatic style stings.
What’s Subsequent within the Collection?
With the Pacers up 1–0, the stress now shifts to the Thunder to reply in Recreation 2. Changes are anticipated—notably in how they deal with Haliburton in late-game conditions. Dort, their defensive specialist, will possible be tasked with much more minutes on Indiana’s star guard, and count on Oklahoma Metropolis to run extra late-game offense by means of their secondary scorers to take some stress off Gilgeous-Alexander.
For Indiana, Recreation 2 is an enormous alternative. Successful the opener was massive; taking a 2–0 lead on the highway would tilt the sequence dramatically of their favor. However they’ll want to wash up their turnovers and proceed to get massive contributions from their bench to drag it off.
Carlisle’s workforce has already proven it will probably punch again after adversity, however doing it twice in Oklahoma Metropolis would make a robust assertion.
Haliburton’s Legacy Second
Moments like Haliburton’s game-winner typically outline careers. Although simply 24 years previous, Haliburton is already seen as one of many league’s premier guards. This shot—on the highway, within the Finals, with lower than a second on the clock—elevates his standing to a brand new degree.
He joins a brief checklist of gamers who’ve delivered game-winners within the NBA Finals, becoming a member of names like Michael Jordan, Kyrie Irving, and Ray Allen. Whereas there’s nonetheless a protracted method to go on this sequence, Haliburton’s buzzer-beater is already etched into NBA lore.
Greater than that, it showcased the DNA of this Pacers workforce: resilient, fearless, and unafraid of the second.
Ultimate Ideas
Recreation 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals lived as much as each expectation—after which some. It was a battle of two rising groups led by two of the league’s brightest younger stars. And whereas Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dazzled as anticipated, it was Tyrese Haliburton who owned the evening together with his 0.3-second masterpiece.
The Pacers now maintain a 1–0 sequence lead and the momentum. But when this sport was any indication, followers are in for a wild, unforgettable Finals sequence. Recreation 2 can’t come quickly sufficient.
