The Indiana Pacers have been on a tear in the 2025 NBA playoffs. On Thursday, they had a 111-110 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to steal Game 1 of the best-of-seven Finals series. The Pacers overcame the 15-point deficit and played well during the final moments of the game. This culminated in a stunning clutch shot from Tyrese Haliburton that ended up being Indiana’s key to victory.
Oklahoma’s tough defense proved to be a challenge for the Pacers. Due to that, even Indiana’s star players struggled to make shots. All-Star forward Pascal Siakam had 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists on 46.7 percent shooting from the field.
Tyrese Haliburton, their best player, was limited to 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. This was proof that the Thunder did not give easy looks to Indiana.
Following the contest, Siakam had honest feedback on the Pacers’ performance. According to him, the group did not play well.
“We didn’t even play well,” Siakam said.
The Pacers had difficulty against the Thunder’s hounding defense. They had 24 turnovers and allowed the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led team to get 14 steals.
Fortunately for Indiana, they shot the ball well, which gave them the push to win Game 1.
Tyrese Haliburton has continued to display that he’s one of the best and reliable stars when it comes to making significant shots. During the Indiana Pacers’ playoff run, Haliburton has made at least one game-winning or game-tying shot.
After the game, the team’s starting center, Myles Turner, talked about Haliburton’s confidence during the crucial moments of the game.
“Ultimate, ultimate confidence in himself,” Turner said. “Some players will say they have it but there’s other players that show it. And he’s gonna let you know about it too. That’s one thing I respect about him.
“He’s just a baller, he’s a hooper. He’s really a gamer. When it comes to the moments, he wants the ball. He wants to be the one to hit that shot. He doesn’t shy from the moment. Very important this time of year to have a go-to guy.”
"When it comes to the moments, he wants the ball. He wants to be the one to hit that shot. He doesn't shy away from the moment."
Myles Turner on Tyrese Haliburton after hitting the game-winning shot in Game 1 of the NBA Finals
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— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 6, 2025
Haliburton has been the most reliable player for the Indiana Pacers during the times when they have to mount a comeback. Even though he didn’t have the best scoring performance, the team still put their trust in him to lead them to victory.
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