There was by no means a doubt in Tyrese Haliburton’s thoughts.
The Indiana Pacers star has completed it too typically – particularly within the 2025 playoffs – to not trust within the closing seconds.
Haliburton hit a 20-foot pull-up jumper within the remaining second on Thursday because the Pacers accomplished a surprising comeback for a 111-110 win over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals.
It was the 25-year-old’s fourth big-time shot within the closing seconds throughout this yr’s playoffs.
The Pacers hadn’t led in Thursday’s finals opener till Halliburton drained his newest clutch hoop with 0.3 seconds remaining.
“Final confidence in himself,” Indiana’s Myles Turner mentioned of Haliburton. “Some gamers will say they’ve it, however there are different gamers that present it … He needs to be the one to hit that shot. He doesn’t draw back from that second.”
In Recreation 5 of the primary spherical of the playoffs, Haliburton reduce by way of the lane to hit a driving layup with 1.3 seconds left in additional time, giving the Pacers a win and ending the sequence in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks.
In Recreation 2 of the second spherical, he hit a step-back 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to place Indiana up one and put the Cleveland Cavaliers right into a 2-0 gap.
Then in Recreation 1 of the Jap Convention finals, Haliburton hit one other step-back shot that seemed to be the game-winner initially however was modified to a two that compelled additional time in opposition to the New York Knicks. Indiana finally gained.
The Thursday shot merely continued the sample.
Indiana trailed by as many as 15 factors within the fourth quarter, and although the Pacers reduce the deficit to at least one within the closing seconds, the Thunder had the ball in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s arms with an opportunity to place the Pacers away.
Nonetheless, Andrew Nembhard guarded the league’s Most Useful Participant (MVP) tenaciously, serving to to power a missed fadeaway from Gilgeous-Alexander that opened the door for Haliburton’s heroics.
With 11 seconds left, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle trusted his workforce and didn’t take a timeout.
Haliburton labored his means down the court docket in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis’s Cason Wallace, driving simply contained in the 3-point arc earlier than pulling up for a shot that briefly rattled across the rim earlier than dropping by way of.
“I had a reasonably good concept,” Haliburton mentioned when requested whether or not he knew the shot was good.
Indiana gained regardless of turning the ball over 25 occasions in Recreation 1.
“It’s not the recipe to win,” Haliburton mentioned. “We are able to’t flip the ball over that a lot … (however) come Might and June, it doesn’t matter the way you get ’em, simply get ’em.”
The most effective-of-seven sequence resumes with Recreation 2 on Sunday in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Thunder to attempt degree sequence in Recreation 2
“The sequence isn’t first to at least one, it’s first to 4,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “So we’ve 4 extra video games to get. They’ve three, and that’s simply the place we’re.”
Recreation 1 was a intestine punch for the Thunder, who led from the beginning and obtained 38 factors from Gilgeous-Alexander.
Oklahoma Metropolis managed simply 11 factors off the Pacers’ giveaways, together with simply 9 off Indiana’s 20 first-half turnovers.
The Pacers trailed by 15 early within the fourth quarter earlier than chipping away on the deficit. Nembhard and Myles Turner every scored eight factors within the interval.
Indiana reduce the deficit to at least one with 48.6 seconds remaining on Pascal Siakam’s putback following a missed 3-point try by Nembhard.
Siakam led the Pacers with 19 factors and added 10 rebounds. Obi Toppin had 17 factors off the bench, Turner scored 15 and Nembhard had 14. Haliburton completed with 14 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
For Oklahoma Metropolis, Jalen Williams contributed 17 factors on 6-of-19 taking pictures whereas Chet Holmgren was simply 2 of 9 for six factors.
The Thunder led 94-79 with 9:42 remaining, however Indiana wasn’t about to go away.
The Pacers ripped off a 15-4 run to remain inside hanging distance, after which they surged forward late.
Oklahoma Metropolis hit only one discipline objective within the remaining 4 minutes, giving the Pacers the opening to come back again.
“We performed like we have been making an attempt to maintain the lead as an alternative of making an attempt to increase it or be aggressive,” Williams mentioned.
