Former Kansas shooting guard Johnny Furphy’s fast-break and-one layup with 54 seconds left in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals did not go unnoticed by social media users Monday night.
The Indiana Pacers’ slender 6-foot-9, 200-pound first-year player, who was on the court the final 1:51 of a lopsided 120-109 loss to Oklahoma City, finished with one more field goal than Indiana star guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Former Iowa State standout Haliburton went 0-for-6 from the field (0-for-4 from 3) in 34 minutes. Haliburton was 4-of-4 from the line while Furphy missed the free throw attempted after his driving bucket.
Thus Haliburton, who returned shortly after getting injured early in the game, outscored Furphy four points to two for the Pacers, who, down 3-2, will face an elimination game in Game 6 set for Thursday night in Indianapolis.
Furphy, who at 20 years, 191 days old is the youngest Australia native to play in the NBA Finals, has participated in two finals games thus far in 2025. He had one rebound and a foul in four minutes in the Pacers’ 123-107 loss in Game 2, also in OKC.
Several fans on X pointed out the fact Furphy nearly outscored Haliburton.
“Johnny Furphy played one minute and got a bucket. ‘Hali’ can’t live this one down,” read one post.
“Johnny Furphy showing Hali how you score a bucket,” another fan wrote.
Also …
“Should Johnny Furphy be starting over Hali?” read a sarcastic X post.
“Johnny Furphy had two points in one minute so if he played as much as Haliburton he would have dropped 68,” read another.
Here are some other posts taken from X mentioning Furphy but not Haliburton. …
“Johnny Furphy has more finals points than Joel Embiid,” one fan wrote, referring to the former KU big man yet to reach the NBA Finals at the age of 31.
“Johnny Furphy has more finals points than Jalen Brunson,” another fan wrote of New York Knicks’ standout Brunson not yet making it to the Finals at the age of 28.
“Johnny Furphy had 72 points per 36 tonight. Get him more burn,” read another X post.
A couple fans, by the way, ripped Furphy on X for missing his free throw and failing to complete the and-one on his late bucket.
Had he scored, the Pacers likely would have lost by 10 points instead of 11. The spread was OKC by 10.5.
Furphy, who has two points this postseason, has played six minutes in two games in the finals. He played two minutes in two games in the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Knicks; 14 minutes in two games in the East semifinals vs. Cleveland and seven minutes in three games in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s 1-for-4 shooting overall in the playoffs.
Furphy, a second-round draft pick, appeared in 50 games his rookie season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds.
He’s elated for any playing time he’s received his rookie campaign which followed his one-and-done season at KU. He also played a handful of games in the G League.
After the clinching victory in the Knicks series in which he played in the final moments, Furphy told ESPN Australia: “I was just kind of looking around, trying to comprehend how incredible this is, just to be a part of it, and then postgame kind of sinking in a little bit. Now I’m saying to myself, ‘Are we going to the NBA Finals?’ It’s crazy. I get goosebumps thinking about it.”
Of possibly playing time in the finals, he said: “I mean, I’m always kind of on my toes. It’s happened a few times throughout the year where if we need a sudden burst of energy, just kind of give someone time to rest their legs.
“I think I’ve done a good job just being ready no matter what. I think it’s just mentally preparing for that, even if I don’t get in, I think it’s still going to help me for the future.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle recently said of second-round draft pick Furphy: ”He’s just a pure competitor. Everything about him is pure. He doesn’t have a selfish bone in his body. Does everything hard. Does everything with the right spirit. The running, the dunks. People get excited when a young player makes a play like that, but his overall vibe is a winning vibe.”