Tyrese Haliburton Stuns NBA With Career-High 35 Points in Pacers’ Double-OT Victory

H1: (to be inserted separately) H2: A 0.3-Second Miracle: Haliburton Lifts Pacers in Game 1 Thriller Tyrese Haliburton’s pull-up jumper with just 0.3 seconds left sealed a 111-110 comeback win for the Indiana Pacers over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The All-Star guard’s heroics erased a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit and instantly became one of the signature moments of this year’s postseason. H3: Key Takeaways • Haliburton poured in 34 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds, shooting 6-for-11 from three. • Indiana trailed 96-81 with 9:14 to play before closing on a 30-14 run. • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 37 points, but his potential winner rimmed out on the final possession. • The Pacers now own home-court advantage as the series shifts back to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4. H2: Inside the Final Minute The Thunder appeared in control after Chet Holmgren’s baseline dunk put them up 110-107 with 29 seconds remaining. Haliburton answered by snaking through a double-team for a layup plus the foul, tying the game at 110 with 12.1 seconds left. After Indiana elected to defend straight up, Gilgeous-Alexander missed a fadeaway from the left elbow. The rebound caromed long to Pascal Siakam, who fed Haliburton streaking up the sideline. With the clock dwindling, the 24-year-old rose from 27 feet and drilled nothing but net, leaving OKC stunned and Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a frenzy. H2: Historic Company for Haliburton • He is the first player with a 30-point, 10-assist Finals game winner since Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game” in 1997. • The last Finals buzzer-beater before regulation was Kyrie Irving’s dagger in 2016; Haliburton’s 0.3-second margin is now the fastest. • The former Iowa State star joins Reggie Miller and Paul George as the only Pacers with multiple playoff game-winners. H3: What It Means for Indiana The Pacers entered the series as +240 underdogs. Snatching Game 1 on the road flips the betting landscape and pressures the youthful Thunder core to respond quickly. Coach Rick Carlisle praised his floor general: “Tyrese never panics; he manipulates but never forces. Tonight he etched his name in Pacers lore.” H2: Adjustments to Watch in Game 2 1. Thunder Pick-and-Roll Coverage • OKC trapped Haliburton early; Indiana countered with higher ball screens and short-roll passes to Siakam. Expect Mark Daigneault to mix in more zone in the mid-quarters. 2. Pacers Bench Minutes • Obi Toppin (+12) and Andrew Nembhard (+9) tilted momentum with pace and pressure defense; Carlisle may extend their run. 3. Free-Throw Disparity • Indiana shot 23-of-25 at the line versus OKC’s 14-of-18. Thunder must attack downhill to keep pace in the efficiency battle. H3: Fan and Social Media Reaction Within minutes, “HALIBURTON” trended worldwide as NBA legends from Magic Johnson to Dwyane Wade tweeted praise for the budding superstar. The viral clip of his game-winner hit 10 million views on X in the first hour, underscoring his rapid ascent from promising playmaker to primetime closer. H2: Looking Ahead Game 2 tips off Sunday night at Paycom Center. A 2-0 Pacers edge would put them two wins shy of the franchise’s first championship, while a Thunder bounce-back could reset the narrative entirely. Either way, Haliburton’s 0.3-second masterpiece has already guaranteed this Finals a place in NBA history—and driven a surge of interest that shows no sign of slowing.