The Pacers turned the ball over 19 times in the first half and struggled to contain MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 38 points, but they never surrendered. Indiana came back from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter, and Tyrese Haliburton nailed a 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left to claim a 111-110 win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
All of Indiana’s starters reached double figures: Pascal Siakam scored 19 points, Haliburton had 14 points plus 10 rebounds and six assists, Myles Turner contributed 15 points, Andrew Nembhard added 14, and Aaron Nesmith chipped in 10. Obi Toppin provided the necessary spark off the bench with 17 points, shooting 5-for-8 from the three-point line.
For Oklahoma City, Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort combined for 32 points and five steals, while Alex Caruso filled the stat sheet with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. Chet Holmgren struggled with just six points on 2-for-9 shooting from the field.
Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the Pacers victory:
The Pacers STEAL GAME 1 IN OKLAHOMA after a 111-110 WIN over the Thunder 😤🔥
TYRESE HALIBURTON HITS THE GAME-WINNER ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ntdybDR5iQ
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) June 6, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton is 6-for-7 (85.7%) when taking a shot to tie or take the lead in the final 90 seconds of the 4th or OT this playoffs.
That’s the most such shots in a single postseason since 1997.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) June 6, 2025
Game 1 was the Pacers’ fifth comeback victory from a deficit of 15 or more points in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the most by a team in a single postseason since 1998. pic.twitter.com/tg2ldahGXO
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 6, 2025
Haliburton is having a 2011 Dirk level clutch shot run this year 😭
— MavsMuse (@MavsMuse) June 6, 2025
I’ll say it again: Tyrese Haliburton being voted by his peers as the “most overrated player in the league” is the WORST TAKE IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE. #NBAFinals
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) June 6, 2025
YOU CANT MAKE IT UP 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) June 6, 2025
we might be watching the clutchest player of all time in tyrese haliburton
— SJ (@SJBasketball8) June 6, 2025
Helly!?!?
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 6, 2025
I’ve never witnessed a crunch time killer for a single season like Haliburton is having.
— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) June 6, 2025
Haliburton the only star that only gets judged by his good games. He will randomly have games no other stars have with like 1 point and is nonexistent , but because he has some good games they call him a top 10 offensive player in the league
— Luxury Tax (@RipcityTitty) June 6, 2025
NBA fans watched Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers complete the most ridiculous comebacks all postseason long and were seriously talking about “ratings” before the Finals.
This is as good as it gets. Can’t imagine caring about who didn’t watch.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) June 6, 2025
Best scoring debuts in Finals history
Allen Iverson (2001): 48 points
George Mikan (1949): 42 points
SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER (2025): 38 pointsIt’s the best mark ever in a Finals debut that ended with a loss.
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) June 6, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton does it again!!! 🤯
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 6, 2025
haliburton is on the craziest run I’ve ever seen omg
— Arike Ogunbowale (@Arike_O) June 6, 2025
Indiana committed 25 turnovers tonight, the most by a team in an NBA Finals win since the Blazers in 1977 (27, Game 6).
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) June 6, 2025
