Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have pulled off some loopy comebacks in the course of the 2025 playoffs, however their newest rally to win Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals might need been their wildest but.
The percentages had been in opposition to the Pacers profitable this recreation from the outset, however they appeared particularly lengthy when the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder pushed their result in as a lot as 17 within the fourth quarter. However then the Pacers did what they’ve achieved all postseason — went on a magnet-ball shotmaking run.
Indiana outscored the Thunder the remainder of the way in which, with Haliburton’s leaning, unbelievable game-winner swishing by means of the online with simply 0.3 seconds left, thus securing Indiana’s first lead of the complete recreation:
In keeping with Josh Dubow of the Related Press, that implies that Indiana tried one thing that 121 groups had tried earlier than them within the NBA Finals… and had been the primary group to ever full such a rally:
Pacers trailed by 9 with 2:52 to play. In play by play period (since begin of 1997 playoffs), groups had been 0-121 in NBA Finals when trailing by 7+ factors in closing 3:00 of 4th quarter or OT earlier than tonight
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) June 6, 2025
Not solely does that imply the Pacers are actually an insane 5-3 this postseason once they go down by 15 or extra factors, however in accordance with NBA stats maven Keerthika Uthayakumar, it additionally implies that they’re now simply the fourth group within the final practically three a long time to win a playoff recreation regardless of having the lead for lower than 30 seconds of recreation time:
Since 1998, solely 4 groups have gained a playoff recreation regardless of main for 30 seconds or much less:
1999 Spurs in G2 of the West Finals – 10 sec
2001 Mavs in G5 of the First Spherical – 30 sec
2002 Lakers in G4 of the West Finals – 13 sec
2025 Pacers in G1 of the NBA Finals – 0.3 sec— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) June 6, 2025
The win additionally continued to solidify Haliburton’s near-bulletproof crunch-time popularity, and it’s potential we’ve by no means seen a playoff run the place a participant was this clutch, with this stage of regularity:
Tyrese Haliburton is 6-for-7 (85.7%) when taking a shot to tie or take the lead within the closing 90 seconds of the 4th or OT this playoffs.
That’s essentially the most such photographs in a single postseason since 1997.
— Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) June 6, 2025
For context, meaning Tyrese Haliburton, within the highest stakes video games potential with defenses extra keyed in on him than ever, is taking pictures a better share than any participant who took greater than two complete photographs did from the sector throughout the complete NBA common season.
It stays to be seen if the Pacers can pull off essentially the most beautiful upset of all — profitable the NBA Finals — but it surely’s protected to say they will by no means, ever be counted out once more till the ultimate buzzer sounds.