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 a time out 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 by Turner with 6:16 left.
They never stopped, all the way to the end.