The Indy Pacers Pull a Cinderella Act, Upset Thunder in Thrilling NBA Finals Opener
Hoosiers of Pacers triumphed over Thunder's 15-point lead in the 4th quarter, sealing the game with a buzzer-beater in the NBA Finals' initial matchup.
NBA champion Eddie House sits down with Jason McIntyre to dissect the mind-blowing victory of the underdog Indiana Pacers over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Pacers, riding high on destiny, are stealing the spotlight, one miraculous comeback at a time.
Feeling the heat of a 15-point deficit in the final quarter, the Pacers dusted off their heroic comeback skills and flipped the script on the Thunder in Thursday's nail-biter.
The Thunder's lead grew as large as 15 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Pacers weren't ready to wave the white flag just yet. After calling a timeout, the Pacers embarked on a scorching 15-4 run to narrow the gap to four points. The Thunder managed to extend their lead a bit more, only for the Pacers to reel off another jaw-dropping 10-2 run, turning a 9-point deficit into a one-point lead with mere seconds left on the clock.
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In a twist of fate, Gilgeous-Alexander missed a shot with 11.0 seconds remaining, paving the way for Tyrese Haliburton to fire in the game-winning shots with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock. The Pacers somehow secured their first lead of the game, pulling off an astounding upset in overtime[3].
daftar poker The Pacers entered the Finals as hefty underdogs, and it appeared their status as underdogs would hold, as they trailed for most of the match. But, against all odds, the Pacers secured a 111-110 victory – their first NBA Finals triumph since 2000[4].
In the game's closing minutes, the Pacers outscored the Thunder 32-16, with a strong finishing run of 12-2 in the final 2:38.
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The Pacers' dazzling comeback serves as the latest in a remarkable string of fourth-quarter heroics this postseason[5]. In nearly 1,500 playoff games since 1997, only four times has a team come back to win after trailing by 7+ points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime[6]. The Pacers have made winning history in three of those games alone this season.
"It ain't over til it's over," Haliburton, channeling his inner Yogi Berra, echoed after the game[7].
Unbelievably, no Pacer scored 20 points in the game, while MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 38 points for the Thunder. But, six Pacers tallied double-digit points, and five had at least 14.
The Pacers will look to continue their magical run when they face the Thunder once more in Game 2, which takes place Sunday night in Oklahoma City[8].
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Overall:The search results do not provide specific details about the Indiana Pacers' shooting performance in close games or comebacks during the 2025 NBA Finals. However, they highlight a notable moment in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, where the Pacers secured a win despite shooting challenges.
In Game 1, the Pacers managed to win despite not shooting overly well from the 3-point line, which is a common factor in their success[2]. Additionally, Tyrese Haliburton made a game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds left, showcasing the team's ability to perform under pressure in close games[3]. However, for more detailed statistics on the Pacers' shooting performance, further analysis would be necessary.
NBA champion Eddie House, in conversation with Jason McIntyre, discussed the extraordinary comeback victory of the underdog Indiana Pacers in basketball, specifically in the NBA Finals. The Pacers, though trailing most of the game, displayed their exceptional skills in sports by stealing the limelight with a thrilling overtime win in a game marked by miraculous comebacks, one of which is their 15-4 run to chase down a 15-point deficit in the final quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
