Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton made the first game-winner in the final second of an NBA Finals game since Michael Jordan!
Jordan's game-winner at the buzzer of 1997 Bulls-Jazz Game 1 came with the game tied. Ditto Hakeem Olajuwon's game-winning tip-in with 0.3 seconds left in overtime of 1995 Rockets-Magic Game 1. And Vinnie Johnson's game-winner with 0.7 seconds left in 1990 Pistons-Trail Blazers Game 5. And Dennis Johnson's game-winner at the buzzer of 1985 Celtics-Lakers Game 4.
Those were obviously all-time shots, but if those players missed, their team would have at least headed to overtime (or in Olajuwon's case, a second overtime).
Haliburton's shot was do-or-die – lifting the Pacers from a one-point loss to a one-point win.
Best I can tell, the last NBA Finals game-winner in the final second with his team trailing was by Sam Jones in 1969 Celtics-Lakers Game 4!
All the game-winners in the final second of an NBA Finals game I could find:
Tyrese Haliburton (2025 IND-OKC Game 1)
Michael Jordan (1997 CHI-UTA Game 1)
Hakeem Olajuwon (1995 HOU-ORL Game 1)
Vinnie Johnson (1990 DET-POR Game 5)
Dennis Johnson (1985 BOS-LAL Game 4)
Sam Jones (1969 BOS-LAL Game 4)
Jerry West (1962 LAL-BOS Game 3)
Cliff Hagan (1957 STL-BOS Game 6)
Haliburton joins quite the legendary list!
Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton on shots to tie or take the lead in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime this season (regular season and playoffs), via Basketball-Reference:
13-for-15
His effective field goal percentage on those shots is 107%!
Tyrese Haliburton
Tyrese Haliburton has made four of those tying or go-ahead shots in the final second of the fourth quarter or overtime in the playoffs:
Pacers-Bucks Game 5
Pacers-Cavaliers Game 2
Pacers-Knicks Game 1
Pacers-Thunder Game 1
Haliburton now doubles anyone in such shots in a single postseason in the play-by-play era – ahead of LeBron James in 2018, Hedo Turkoglu in 2009 and Kobe Bryant in 2005.
via Basketball-Reference
Comeback
The Pacers trailed by 15 in the fourth quarter.
Just three teams in the last 55 years overcame such a large fourth-quarter deficit in the NBA Finals:
2025 Pacers-Thunder Game 1
2011 Mavericks-Heat Game 2
1992 Bulls-Trail Blazers Game 6
Rick Carlisle coached both the 2025 Pacers and 2011 Mavericks.
Comeback
Indiana still trailed by nine with 2:40 left.
Teams up 7+ in last three minutes of fourth quarter or overtime in NBA Finals (play-by-play era), via Josh Dubow of the Associated Press:
121-1*
*Thunder vs. Pacers last night
Indiana Pacers
This was Indiana's FIFTH 15-point comeback in these playoffs:
Pacers-Bucks Game 5
Pacers-Cavaliers Game 2
Pacers-Cavaliers Game 5
Pacers-Knicks Game 1
Pacers-Thunder Game 1
That passes the 2003 Mavericks for most 15-point comebacks in a postseason on record.*
*Counting all games in the play-by-play era, using only end-of-quarter scores prior
Lead
The Pacers led for 0.3 seconds last night.
That's the shortest leading time a playoff winner has held in the play-by-play era, according to Keerthika Uthayakumar. In fact, every other playoff winner has held a lead at least 30 times longer.
In Game 2 of the 1999 Western Conference finals, the Spurs led the Trail Blazers only the final 9.0 seconds after Sean Elliott's game-winning 3-pointer.
Turnovers
The Pacers committed 19 turnovers in the first half – more than any team did in a FULL game in the previous two NBA Finals.
Indiana got it together in the second half, but still finished with 25 turnovers – most in a Finals game since the Jazz in 1998. Utah scored 54 points in that game.
The last team to win a Finals game with so many turnovers – Trail Blazers in 1977.
via Basketball-Reference
Halves
Pacers:
First half: 45 points
Second half: 66 points
The 21-point scoring increase from first to second half hasn't been surpassed in a Finals game since 2008.
Indiana Pacers
The Heat – with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh – won an NBA Finals game with Mario Chalmers their leading scorer.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Most points in NBA Finals debut:
Allen Iverson (2001): 48
George Mikan (1949): 42
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025): 38
Gilgeous-Alexander took 30 shots, and the Thunder had just 13 assists.
Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring might be evidence of the Pacers' defense working
Stars
Pacers with:
Tyrese Haliburton on, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off: +12 in 3 minutes
All other situations: -11 in 45 minutes
The teams played even in the 36 minutes with both stars on the floor. The Thunder dominated with either just Gilgeous-Alexander or neither star on the floor (+11 in 9 minutes).
Oklahoma City must figure out what to do when Haliburton checks in during Gilgeous-Alexander's scheduled rests.
Game 2
Oklahoma City is just the fifth team in the last 30 NBA Finals to lose Game 1 at home. The prior four went 4-0 in Game 2:
2022: GSW over BOS by 19
2013: MIA over SAS by 19
2004: LAL over DET by 8 (OT)
2001: LAL over PHI by 9
The only team that didn't win in regulation is the only one to lose the series.
In other words, forces are pushing toward the Thunder winning Game 2, maybe even resoundingly. If they don't, that'd be quite the cause for alarm.
Video
Watch Nate and Danny analyze last night's game and look ahead to Game 2:
-Dan Feldman