NBA Finals Shocker: Pacers’ Stunning Comeback Leaves Thunder Reeling and Series Hanging in the Balance

Ever get that feeling where the script’s been written, the ending spoiled, and yet somehow, the Pacers just flip the narrative on its head? It’s almost like clockwork—they seem down for the count, the odds stacked like a house of cards, then boom! —a jaw-dropping comeback sparks to life. Game 1 of the NBA Finals was no exception, and once again, Tyrese Haliburton was the wizard pulling rabbits out of the hat when it mattered most. Maybe it’s magic, maybe it’s grit… or maybe it’s just that certain unshakeable belief that when the Pacers are trailing late, destiny’s got a thing or two to say. So here’s a question worth pondering: How do you guard a team when their greatest playmaker becomes your worst nightmare down the stretch? Let’s dive deeper into this breathtaking showdown and unpack how Indiana’s improbable rally rattled the Thunder, flipping pregame predictions on their ear. LEARN MORE.

The Pacers looked down and out of another NBA playoff game. And then, they pulled off an unbelievable comeback. Again.

There is a lot of time in between the conference finals and the NBA Finals. Because of this, the championship matchup is dissected from every single angle possible.

By the time the best-of-seven series starts, every player and lineup has been discussed at length. Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault threw a curveball right away by starting guard Cason Wallace instead of center Isaiah Hartenstein, but everyone knew there was a chance the Thunder would opt for smaller lineups and was prepared for it.

But sometimes, the discussion can get too complicated. Every number and idea doesn’t hold the same weight. Sometimes one thing matters more than anything else.

In Game 1 Thursday night, that thing was simple. If the Indiana Pacers are in a close game down the stretch, magic will happen, fire will rain, and Tyrese Haliburton will make the biggest play of the night.

That’s exactly what happened as the Pacers, who had a pregame probability of winning this series as low as 9.6% at one point (it’s now up to 22.3%), stole a 111-110 victory in dramatic fashion at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

The Plays Before the Play

Of course, calling the Pacers’ play at the end of games magic is actually discrediting the team. It’s been a run that involves some luck, sure, but the Pacers once again outexecuted their opponent down the stretch. This time, that opponent was the best team in the league this season.

It helped that the Pacers found their 3-point shot down the stretch and the Thunder couldn’t even make open looks. But the Pacers have shot makers who have embraced big shots all postseason. Andrew Nembhard is comfortable taking step-back 3-pointers. Aaron Nesmith is a flamethrower who can’t be left open. And Haliburton is your favorite clutch player’s favorite clutch player.

It looked like this might be an easy win for the Thunder in the first half. The Pacers turned the ball over nine times in the first quarter, which matched the most they had in a quarter all postseason. Then they turned it over 10 times in the second quarter.

All those turnovers led to OKC taking a 12-point halftime lead. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had two great games against the Pacers in the regular season, had 19 points in the first half. The Thunder were in control.

And yet, there were some signs the Pacers could stay in the game if they could hold on to the ball. Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA MVP, had 19 points, but it took 18 shots. Nesmith was playing excellent defense on Jalen Williams, being physical enough and using his size without fouling.

On offense, the Thunder went with Wallace on Pacers power forward Pascal Siakam on several possessions, which is the opposite of their strategy of putting Hartenstein on him in a game earlier this season. Siakam missed some shots, but he was getting good looks and drawing fouls inside against Wallace when the Pacers went to it.

Still, the Pacers had no chance unless they stopped coughing the ball up. Behind Haliburton, they did just that in the second half, turning it over five times compared to 19 in the first half.

An upset still looked doubtful for the Pacers early in the fourth quarter, when the Thunder went on a 9-3 run with both Haliburton and Gilgeous-Alexander sitting. But, like they’ve done so many times this postseason, the Pacers took their offense to another level when trailing late. After struggling to find open shots all game, they got great looks from 3 early in the shot clock.

The Thunder made the mistake of going into prevent offense down the stretch. SGA ran the shot clock down with under 30 seconds left before giving it to Williams, who then missed a shot. But the Thunder got the ball back and had another shot to extend the lead. They again ran the clock down before Gilgeous-Alexander missed a midrange that left enough time for Haliburton’s heroics.

How Do the Thunder Respond?

The Thunder are the latest team to be left scratching their heads and wondering how the Pacers got away with a crazy comeback win. How they respond will be very interesting.

The offense bogged down for the Thunder in the second half when they weren’t able to generate a lot of turnovers. They won’t be able to rely on those turnovers as often against the Haliburton-led Pacers.

The Pacers did a good job of turning Gilgeous-Alexander into a one-man band for much of the night. He finished with 38 points, but only three assists. Luguentz Dort, the Thunder’s ironclad defender who is hot and cold on offense but always thinks he’s hot, hit 5-of-9 3-pointers. No one else on the Thunder had a good offensive game.

If Williams can’t score on Nesmith or draw extra help early in plays, the Pacers might have a chance to hold up defensively. They stayed out of rotation a lot more frequently than they did in the regular season against the Thunder. Williams has to play better and force more help on his drives.

The Thunder can also exploit the Pacers’ pick-and-roll defense more if it doesn’t get better. SGA was able to split the hedge multiple times and left a few more opportunities on the table when Myles Turner wasn’t in the best position.

The Pacers might not shoot 46.2% from beyond the arc every game, and OKC is going to get better play from Williams. If the Thunder have a more normal shooting game, they have a great chance at bouncing back in Game 2 and putting this loss behind them.

Unless you believe in magic. Or destiny. Or the inevitability of Tyrese Haliburton in the final seconds of a playoff game.

Then, they might be in big trouble.

For more coverage, follow along on social media on Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook and X.

The post NBA Finals Game 1: The Comeback Pacers Claim Another Victim, Take Series Lead vs. Thunder appeared first on Opta Analyst.