Shaquille O'Neal Stresses the Stakes of NBA Finals After Thunder Collapse vs. Pacers

Shaq didn't mince words.

O'Nel speaks on NBA TV after Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder / Screengrab via NBA TV

The Indiana Pacers stole Game 1 of the NBA Finals from the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night. Tyrese Haliburton hit yet another miraculous game-winning shot. This time, he gave the Pacers their first lead of the night, which came with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

Indiana held on for a 111-110 win over Oklahoma City to take a game on the road and draw first blood in this year's NBA Finals. The Thunder led by as many as 15 points in the game, including a nine-point lead with less than three minutes to go in the game. But the Pacers stuck around, chipped away at the lead and eventually came away with an incredible win.

The NBA world was shocked at the unbelievable finish to Game 1, including Shaquille O'Neal. After the game, he explained the high stakes of the NBA Finals as a four-time champion himself.

"I was sitting there and [the Thunder] had double-digit leads. The fans were going crazy, the crowd's going crazy," O'Neal said Thursday night after Game 1 on NBA TV. "When that happens in that moment at home, you have to put them away.

"This is not another game, this is the NBA Finals. This is a championship run, you got to be more efficient, you got to have that killer. And when you get a team down, you got to put your foot on their throat."

"This is not another game, this is the NBA Finals... when you get a team down, you gotta put your foot on their throat." 👀@SHAQ's perspective of OKC's situation after Game 1 of these #NBAFinals 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/kM0AzFpXeH

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 6, 2025

Following the game, Thunder superstar and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged his team has to be better after the missed chance to hold onto home court.

Now in a 1-0 hole after giving up Game 1 at home, the Thunder have to regroup ahead of an opportunity to even the series in Game 2 before they head to Indiana.

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