The Indiana Pacers opened the NBA Finals in the most chaotic way imaginable.
Nineteen first-half turnovers, missed assignments, and momentum seemingly all on the side of the Oklahoma City Thunder. But by the final buzzer, it was the Pacers celebrating a stunning 111-110 win thanks to Tyrese Haliburton’s ice-cold jumper with less than a second to play.
The start was brutal. Indiana coughed up the ball 19 times in the first two quarters, a pace that would doom most teams. But head coach Rick Carlisle pointed to one silver lining.
Despite all the giveaways, the Thunder only turned them into nine points. That small detail kept the door slightly open.
“We just had to hang in,” Carlisle said postgame. “The first half was rough. Nineteen turnovers, the good thing was, they only went for nine points. We just said, let’s keep chipping away at the rock.”
And chip away they did.
Down 12 at halftime, the Pacers stormed back with energy and composure. Pascal Siakam led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Obi Toppin brought fire off the bench, contributing 17 points and several key plays in transition. Myles Turner added 15 points and remained a steady presence inside.
But the moment belonged to Haliburton.
With the clock ticking under a second and the Pacers down by one, Haliburton received the inbounds pass, stepped calmly into a long two, and buried it with 0.3 seconds left on the clock. It was his fourth game-winner of the playoffs and arguably his most dramatic. He finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.
The Thunder, led by a spectacular 38-point effort from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had controlled most of the game. But they faltered late, scoring just one field goal in the final four minutes. That collapse opened the door for Indiana to pull off its fourth comeback win of the postseason after trailing by 15 or more.
Despite finishing with 25 turnovers overall, the Pacers held firm in the clutch. Oklahoma City scored only 11 points off those turnovers, missing a golden chance to build a safer lead.
Game 2 stays in Oklahoma City on Sunday night. The Thunder will try to bounce back. But the Pacers, resilient and fearless, just showed the basketball world that even the ugliest starts can lead to unforgettable finishes.