The Indiana Pacers just wouldn’t quit.
They pushed through turnover after turnover. They battled back from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
They kept fighting until finally, late in the game, they took their first lead—and stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder with a narrow 111-110 victory in Game 1 on Thursday, June 5.
Indiana’s relentless effort over 48 minutes allowed them to overcome 25 turnovers and steal the series opener.
The game-winner came from Tyrese Haliburton, whose 21-foot jumper with just 0.3 seconds remaining gave the Pacers a 111-110 lead — their first lead of the entire game — and the win.
Pascal Siakam contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds, Obi Toppin scored 17 points off the bench, and Haliburton added a near triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. The Pacers shot a hot 18-for-39 from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, the Thunder struggled to find their range, going 0-for-5 on 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, while Indiana went 6-of-10 in the final frame.
Pacers Rally from Huge Deficit for Historic Fifth Comeback Win; Thunder’s Gilgeous-Alexander Scores 38
Game 1 marked the Indiana Pacers’ fifth comeback from a 15-plus point deficit during the 2025 NBA playoffs — the most by any team in a single postseason since 1998.
The victory seemed unlikely early on, as the Pacers committed 20 turnovers in the first half and found themselves trailing 94-79 with just over nine minutes remaining. Yet, their faith in their system and resilience fueled an incredible rally.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning 2024-25 NBA MVP, put up 38 points. This was his 12th 30-plus point game of the playoffs and his eighth in the last nine games. Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams added 17 points.
Final Score: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
Tyrese Haliburton delivered a clutch 2-pointer with just 0.3 seconds left to give Indiana its first lead of the game and secure a stunning Game 1 win on the road against the Thunder. This season, Haliburton has been nearly unstoppable in pressure moments, hitting 13 of 15 shots (86.7%) inside the final two minutes—including overtime—to tie or take the lead. He’s scored 32 points on those attempts, with three coming in this postseason.
True to their resilient playoff form, the Pacers refused to back down. Indiana launched a 12-2 run that cut the Thunder’s lead to just four points with six minutes remaining. The Pacers’ sharpshooting from beyond the arc fueled the charge, knocking down three quick 3-pointers in under a minute.
Indiana finished the game shooting 47.2% from three (16-of-34), outpacing Oklahoma City’s 39.3% (11-of-28), which gave the Pacers a crucial 15-point advantage on 3-point shots. They began the fourth quarter red-hot, hitting 4-of-5 from downtown.
Oklahoma City answered early in the fourth with a 9-3 run, pushing their lead to a game-high 15 points with 9:42 remaining. The run was capped by a thunderous dunk from Jalen Williams, coming off yet another Pacers turnover—Indiana’s 24th of the night.
The Thunder’s defensive intensity was on full display, tallying 12 steals entering the fourth quarter—just six shy of the NBA Finals record of 18 steals set by the 2008 Boston Celtics against the Lakers in Game 6 of the Finals. That Celtics performance helped them clinch the championship, and the NBA has tracked steals officially since the 1973-74 season.
Indiana’s 22 turnovers in Game 1 sparked talk of how many turnovers a team has surrendered in an NBA Finals game. The record belongs to the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers, who committed 34 turnovers in a 107-101 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1. Despite that rough start, Portland went on to win the series 4-2. Turnover tracking began in the 1973-74 season.
Despite the Pacers’ persistent efforts to chip away at the lead, the Thunder maintained control after three quarters, leading 85-76 and just one quarter away from a 1-0 series advantage.
Indiana tightened up their ball security in the third, committing only three turnovers after 19 in the first half. Their shooting cooled somewhat, but Pascal Siakam found his rhythm, leading the Pacers with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Tyrese Haliburton added 10 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing five assists.
For the Thunder, Lu Dort, known for his defense, surprised with a scorching 71.4% accuracy from deep (5-of-7) through three quarters—well above his playoff average of 30.4%. Dort’s 15 points are second on the team, behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 28 points on 12-of-26 shooting.
OKC Unveils Western Conference Finals Banner Ahead of Game 1
The Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time celebrating their postseason success, proudly raising their Western Conference Finals banner in the rafters of the Paycom Center just before Game 1.
The Thunder secured the series with a commanding 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, capping it off with a dominant 124-94 win in Game 5 on May 28.
Halftime: Thunder 57, Pacers 45
The Indiana Pacers showed signs of momentum in the second quarter, hinting at a possible run. But the Oklahoma City Thunder’s relentless defense quickly stifled those efforts.
A trio of three-pointers from Lu Dort ignited a 9-0 Thunder run, helping Oklahoma City build a 57-45 lead heading into halftime.
Turnovers continued to plague the Pacers, who committed at least nine more in the second quarter alone, pushing their total to 20 for the game. Meanwhile, the Thunder took 18 more shots in the first half, capitalizing on their opportunities.
Despite the deficit, it’s notable the Pacers are only down by 12, especially considering the quiet offensive night for their starters. Backup point guard T.J. McConnell leads Indiana with nine points in just over 11 minutes, while All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, who usually runs the point, has scored just six on 2-of-5 shooting.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is aggressively seeking his shots, launching 18 attempts in the first half and converting eight, leading all scorers with 19 points.
Oklahoma City shot 37.0% (20-of-54) from the field, while the Pacers have been slightly more efficient at 41.7% (15-of-36).
One bright spot for Indiana has been their transition defense. Despite a huge 20-4 disparity in turnovers, the Pacers have limited the Thunder to just nine points off giveaways, while scoring only four points themselves from Oklahoma City’s four turnovers.
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