Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have pulled off some loopy comebacks in the course of the 2025 playoffs, however their newest rally to win Sport 1 of the NBA Finals might need been their wildest but.
The chances have been in opposition to the Pacers profitable this recreation from the outset, however they appeared particularly lengthy when the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder pushed their result in as a lot as 17 within the fourth quarter. However then the Pacers did what they’ve executed all postseason — went on a magnet-ball shotmaking run.
Indiana outscored the Thunder the remainder of the best way, with Haliburton’s leaning, unbelievable game-winner swishing by way of the web with simply 0.3 seconds left, thus securing Indiana’s first lead of your entire recreation:
In response to Josh Dubow of the Related Press, that signifies that Indiana tried one thing that 121 groups had tried earlier than them within the NBA Finals… and have been the primary workforce to ever full such a rally:
Pacers trailed by 9 with 2:52 to play. In play by play period (since begin of 1997 playoffs), groups have been 0-121 in NBA Finals when trailing by 7+ factors in closing 3:00 of 4th quarter or OT earlier than tonight
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) June 6, 2025
Not solely does that imply the Pacers are actually an insane 5-3 this postseason once they go down by 15 or extra factors, however in accordance with NBA stats maven Keerthika Uthayakumar, it additionally signifies that they’re now simply the fourth workforce within the final almost three many years to win a playoff recreation regardless of having the lead for lower than 30 seconds of recreation time:
Since 1998, solely 4 groups have gained a playoff recreation regardless of main for 30 seconds or much less:
1999 Spurs in G2 of the West Finals – 10 sec
2001 Mavs in G5 of the First Spherical – 30 sec
2002 Lakers in G4 of the West Finals – 13 sec
2025 Pacers in G1 of the NBA Finals – 0.3 sec– Keerthika Uthayakumar (@Kerthikau) June 6, 2025
The win additionally continued to solidify Haliburton’s near-bulletproof crunch-time status, and it’s attainable we’ve by no means seen a playoff run the place a participant was this clutch, with this stage of regularity:
Tyrese Haliburton is 6-for-7 (85.7%) when taking a shot to tie or take the lead within the closing 90 seconds of the 4th or OT this playoffs.
That’s probably the most such pictures in a single postseason since 1997.
– Keerthika Uthayakumar (@Kerthikau) June 6, 2025
For context, meaning Tyrese Haliburton, within the highest stakes video games attainable with defenses extra keyed in on him than ever, is capturing the next share than any participant who took greater than two complete pictures did from the sector throughout your entire NBA common season.
It stays to be seen if the Pacers can pull off probably the most beautiful upset of all — profitable the NBA Finals — but it surely’s secure to say they’ll by no means, ever be counted out once more till the ultimate buzzer sounds.
