Pacers shock Thunder with a 15-point turnaround in NBA Finals Game 1

Pacers Pull Off Stunning Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals

It seems like the Indiana Pacers are, maybe, a team destined for greatness—if they weren’t already. In an impressive turnaround, they managed to overcome a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter during Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.

Oklahoma City had built a comfortable lead, being up 15 points in that fourth quarter, which was their largest advantage. But after the Pacers called a timeout, something shifted. They went on a 15-4 run, narrowing the gap to just four points. The Thunder briefly pulled ahead by nine, but Indiana rallied again.

Things reached a dramatic point when Gilgeous-Alexander missed a crucial shot with just 11 seconds remaining, allowing Tyrese Haliburton to hit the game-winner with only 0.3 seconds left on the clock. It was the first lead for the Pacers throughout the entire game, which felt, well, pretty surreal.

Despite entering the game as a double-digit underdog, the Pacers stunned everyone by taking home a 111-110 victory. This marks their first win in the NBA Finals since 2000.

In the final stretch, the Pacers outscored their opponents 32-16, capping it off with a 12-2 run in the last 2:38. It’s worth noting that none of the Pacers scored 20 points; their star, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, led the Thunder with a remarkable 38 points. Yet, six Pacers still hit double digits, with five scoring at least 14 points.

This postseason has been a wild ride for the Pacers. They’ve only managed a comeback from 7 or more points down in the fourth quarter four times since 1997, winning three of those games this season alone. Halliburton, channeling some of his best motivational vibes, said after the game, “It’s not over until the clock hits zero.”