Tyrese Haliburton, who would prove to be the hero for the Pacers, drove on Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the first half.
Tyrese Haliburton, who would prove to be the hero for the Pacers, drove on Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the first half.Nate Billings/Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY — Tyrese Haliburton scored with 0.3 seconds left for Indiana’s first and only lead of the game and the Pacers, the last-minute comeback kings of these playoffs, did it again to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-110, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, matching the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in a finals game since Dallas came from 15 down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011.
The coach of those Mavericks: Rick Carlisle. The coach of these Pacers: Rick Carlisle.
And once again, Indiana found a way at the end in these playoffs. On April 29, it trailed Milwaukee, 118-111, with 34.6 seconds left in overtime and won, 119-118. On May 6, the Pacers trailed Cleveland, 119-112, with 48 seconds left and won, 120-119. On May 21, they trailed New York, 121-112, with 51.1 seconds left in regulation and won, 138-135, in overtime.
Now, this.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 38 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season.
Game 2 is at Oklahoma City on Sunday night.
Oklahoma City led by 15 early in the fourth when Carlisle called time and subbed out all five players, seeking a spark. It worked. The Pacers outscored the Thunder, 15-4, over the next 3:26 — getting within 98-94 on a 3-pointer by Turner with 6:16 left.
They never stopped, all the way to the end.