In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder failed to outlast Indiana, falling late on a Tyrese Haliburton jumper.
The Thunder were the better team in the first half, forcing 20 turnovers to OKC's four, coasting to a 12-point lead.
In the third quarter, Indiana would slightly cut into Oklahoma City's lead, before a white-hot stretch in the fourth made the lead just one point. From there, the Pacers shot-making would carry them much like the rest of the postseason, with Haliburton hitting the go-ahead winner with just 0.3 on the clock.
Here's how social media reacted to Game 1 of the NBA Finals:
Let's get the NBA Finals started ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/5ZBaeWHWNI
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 6, 2025
first five of the Finals. pic.twitter.com/oZQdOcYIPr
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 6, 2025
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens it up for the Thunder with a really nice layup in traffic.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) June 6, 2025
JDub takes it himself for 3⃣
— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 2025
OKC on a 7-0 run to begin the #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV on ABC pic.twitter.com/KqB9bnO58a
This defense is suffocating.
— AJ (@AJ3Jazz) June 6, 2025
That was TOUGH Nembhard
— The Daniel Bell© (@BasketballGuruD) June 6, 2025
Insane shotmaking from the Pacers, my goodness
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 6, 2025
The Pacers are the basketball version of jump scare in a horror movie. Think you’re safe…. BOOM.
— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) June 6, 2025
The way the Pacers play is so funny…
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) June 6, 2025
Like, why not play with this sense of urgency all game?
It’s the NBA Finals!
What an unbelievable Game 1. We are blessed.
— Carson Breber (@Carsobi) June 6, 2025
No way. Haliburton scores. Pacers lead 111-110 with 0.3 seconds left
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) June 6, 2025
Disastrous quarter for Toppin
— Basketball Poetry (@bballispoetry) June 6, 2025
Pacers have 7 turnovers in 10 minutes of this game
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 6, 2025
They averaged 12.5 a game in the Knicks series
Mark Daigneault is eyeing the record for most players used in the first half of an NBA Finals game. No clue what the record is, btw, but 11 is a lot!
— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) June 6, 2025
Dub needs to put his head down and drive
— THE UNCONTESTED PODCAST (@The_Uncontested) June 6, 2025
CARUSHOW OH ME OH MY
— Stan Him Boomer Sooner (Hunter Harjo) (@hunterharjo7) June 6, 2025
Still cant shoot pic.twitter.com/bSYj4Rfjbm
— (@homahoops) June 6, 2025
Haliburton fake... Haliburton triple
— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 2025
It's a 6-point game on ABC! pic.twitter.com/QNC8c5KuGj
NBA FINALS LU DORT
— TF (@ThunderFocus) June 6, 2025
15 Pacers turnovers.
— Sam Humphreys (@SamHumphreys34) June 6, 2025
SGA, Dub, & Chet a combined 8/25FG.
4mins left in the 2ndQ. You would think OKC starts hitting some shots and pulls away in this one.
19 first-half turnovers for Indiana,
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) June 6, 2025
Just masterful work by this Thunder defense.
Pacers are doing a better job of getting downhill + creating mismatches for Pascal but being a little timid to pull the trigger on passes/shots
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) June 6, 2025
The residue of OKC’s defense
Really impressive minutes from Cason early in this second half. Attacking Hali in a number of ways — beat him as a driver, rolled for a bucket after Hali showed on Shai, and created the initial penetration to find a cutting J Dub. Big for him to contribute offensively like that.
— Carson Breber (@Carsobi) June 6, 2025
5 THREES AND COUNTING FOR NO. 5⃣ TONIGHT pic.twitter.com/ogfFw4ijQS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 6, 2025
LU FREAKING DORT
— Kinsey Lee (@kinseyleetv) June 6, 2025
BIG GAME LU DORT
— Steve Pierce (@PostJimmer) June 6, 2025
Both JDub and Chet have been awful offensively.
— Cooper Jones (@CooperJNBA) June 6, 2025
OKC is gonna need at least one of them to step up and play like an all-star.
Now that OKC has some Finals experience I can confidently say that they're a contender.
— Tyler (@tylerbritton_) June 6, 2025
FOURTH QUARTER DUB IS HERE
— Steve Pierce (@PostJimmer) June 6, 2025
Shotgun blasts to the chest hurt less than Mike Breen saying, "Largest lead of the game!" when it's against your team.
— Scoops (@ejmaroun) June 6, 2025
The greatest defense I’ve ever watched
— (@Three_Cone) June 6, 2025
J-Dub picked that off like a Cornerback pic.twitter.com/VD8MlMIuUx
— pissboi (@PizzafaceJake) June 6, 2025
“Largest lead of the game, timeout Indiana!”
— Travis J Davidson (@TravisSkol) June 6, 2025
One of my favorite combinations of words.
Finals 4th Quarter JDub.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) June 6, 2025
Jalen Williams has 3 buckets in the opening 2 minutes of the final frame.
Including a fast break steal for a slam.
Biggest roar from Loud City of the night.
Thunder up 94-79.
PUT ALEX CARUSO IN HALL OF FAME TOMORROW
— (@Three_Cone) June 6, 2025
wild how big an 11 point lead feels compared to every other series the pacers have been in
— subscribe to the state of the league patreon (@JoestarJokic) June 6, 2025
Come for Shai vs Hali
— Jerry Ramsey (@TVsJerry) June 6, 2025
Stay for Caruso vs Toppin
Here is where the Pacers thrive…
— Tayler Peterson (@Tayler_P15) June 6, 2025
Thunder will need to be sharp on both ends to finish this one out,
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) June 6, 2025
Pacers not going away — feels like they only get better in crunch-time.
This Oklahoma City Thunder experience is like no other. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced an arena this loud, and if I have, it’s only comparable to Oracle Arena. This is insane.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 6, 2025
FANTASTIC one drawn up by Mark Daigneault out of the timeout for the Thunder.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) June 6, 2025
Cason Wallace gets a wide open layup off the cut.
Pacers don’t quit. This team is so fun.
— Billy Reinhardt (@BillyReinhardt) June 6, 2025
That is just a tough bucket by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hellbent on getting to the rim and steadying this thing for OKC.
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) June 6, 2025
So many layers SGA just tears through.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) June 6, 2025
the pacers cannot be destroyed pic.twitter.com/XhLgkRxGNx
— J. Kyle Mann (@jkylemann) June 6, 2025
WHAT A FINISH SHAI
— (@Three_Cone) June 6, 2025
Game on the line, SGA putting the team on his shoulders.
— Daily Thunder (@dailythunder) June 6, 2025
Thunder is now 0-2 on the wrong side of controversial lane violations in the playoffs.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) June 6, 2025
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!