Thunder Coach Mark Daigneault Gives Simple Reason for Pacers' Repeated Comeback Wins

Blake Silverman | Jun 6, 2025

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Daigneault speaks to the media after the Thunder drop Game 1 to the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers came away with yet another improbable win Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and his team have watched the Pacers come from behind and pull off miraculous playoff wins during Indiana's run through the Eastern Conference.

Now, Daigneault's Thunder have to deal with the cardiac Pacers themselves. And they got hit in Game 1, as the Pacers came back from down nine points in the final three minutes to win the game 111–110. Indiana took the lead on an incredible long two-point jump shot from Tyrese Haliburton with 0.3 seconds remaining, which was their first lead in the game.

Following the disappointing loss, Daigneault acknowledged his opponent's prowess in overcoming adversity to pull out unbelievable wins time and again.

"Credit them, for not only tonight but their [postseason] run, they've had so many games like that," Daigneault said to reporters following Game 1 Thursday via The Oklahoman's Joel Lorenzi. "That have seemed improbable and they just play with a great spirit and keep coming, they keep playing. They made plays, they made shots so they deserved to win by a point. We got to learn from it, there's obviously a lot of things we can clean up, but credit them.

"They went and got that game."

After falling victim to Indiana's ability to chip away at a lead and find a way to win in a game's final moments. Now, the Thunder have to regroup with an opportunity to even the NBA Finals series in Game 2 at home Sunday.

---

More on Pacers' Game 1 Win

manual