Tyrese Haliburton Game Winner and Top Performers in Pacers Game 1 Comeback/Steal

The Indiana Pacers have done it again.

After trailing by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter, the Pacers —true to the script they’ve followed all postseason — stormed back and snatched Game 1 on the road from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Once again, Tyrese Haliburton rose to the moment, delivering a clutch go-ahead bucket — this time on the league’s biggest stage.

HALI DOES IT AGAIN

O.M.G. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DOhawajLCy
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 6, 2025

The Pacers came out on top in Game 1 to steal home-court advantage, 111-110. Indiana is the definition of relentless. They play the full 48-minute contest, and they wear out their opponent, and that was evident in this contest.

Haliburton didn’t have a monster stat line, but he delivered when it mattered most. The 25-year-old finished with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, along with 10 boards, six assists, and a block in 39 minutes of action.

Indiana’s depth and poise shined brightest in the final frame of Game 1. The Pacers shot 50 percent from the field (12-of-24), made 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, and went 5-of-7 at the free-throw line, generating 1.40 points per possession in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Thunder struggled to keep pace — going just 7-of-19 from the field, 0-of-5 from deep, and finishing with 0.97 points per possession.

With the win, the Pacers just matched the largest fourth-quarter comeback in NBA Finals history over the past five decades.

While all eyes will be on Haliburton, the Pacers had others who stepped up in a big way. The other four starters, consisting of Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner, and Andrew Nembhard, all contributed in a big way, especially in the fourth quarter.

The five starters were incredible, but it didn't stop there. The contribution of Obi Toppin off the bench was massive. Toppin shot 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, recording 17 points off the bench and finishing with a +13 in the game.

These were the Pacers. At this point, no one should be surprised by how they play basketball. They pressure their opponent, they make you feel uncomfortable, and they make you pay.

That has been the case all season long, all postseason long and certainly in Game 1. The Pacers have stolen homecourt advantage, and they will now look to do the impossible and steal Game 2 against a mighty tough Thunder team on Sunday.

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