Pacers vs Thunder: SGA & Daigneault on Game 1 Loss
- Tyrese Haliburton's clutch jumper with less than a second remaining lifted the Indiana Pacers to a dramatic 111-110 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of...
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite a stellar 38-point performance in his finals debut, acknowledged the swift turn of events.
- Thunder coach Mark Daigneault credited the Pacers' unwavering spirit.
The Pacers stun the Thunder in Game 1! Tyrese Haliburton’s buzzer-beater sealed an improbable comeback, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. The Indiana Pacers overcame a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, showcasing their grit. The Thunder, despite a stellar 38-point performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forcing 25 turnovers, faltered in key moments. Coach Mark Daigneault highlighted his team’s need to improve and learn from this tough loss. The Pacers’ resilience was on full display, with this being their fifth comeback win this postseason. News Directory 3 reported live from the arena.The Thunder’s focus now shifts to Game 2, aiming to avoid a repeat of their Game 1 struggles. How will they adjust? Discover what’s next …
Pacers Stun thunder with Tyrese Haliburton’s Game-Winning Shot in NBA Finals Opener
Updated June 6,2025
Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch jumper with less than a second remaining lifted the Indiana Pacers to a dramatic 111-110 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers, showcasing their resilience, completed a stunning comeback after trailing by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter. This marked their fifth comeback win from a 15-point deficit this postseason, the most in the play-by-play era, highlighting their tenacity in the NBA Finals.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite a stellar 38-point performance in his finals debut, acknowledged the swift turn of events. “It happened so fast,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, reflecting on Haliburton’s decisive play. “He just made a play with the time winding down.”
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault credited the Pacers’ unwavering spirit. “They just play with a great spirit, they keep coming, they made plays, made shots,” Daigneault said. “They deserved to win by a point.” He emphasized the need for his team to learn from the experience and address areas for betterment.
“They’ve had so many games like that that have seemed improbable,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “they just play with a great spirit, they keep coming, they made plays, made shots. They deserved to win by a point. We got to learn from it. Obviously a lot of things we can clean up. Credit them, they went and got that game.”
The Thunder’s inability to convert turnovers into points proved costly, despite forcing 25 Pacer turnovers. Daigneault noted, “I thought our conversion on the turnovers in the first half hurt us a little bit.” He also pointed to missed opportunities in the paint, where the Thunder struggled to finish strong.
Gilgeous-Alexander stressed the importance of focusing on improvement. “we just got to focus on being better,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The series isn’t first to one, it’s first to four. We have four more games to get, they have three. It’s that simple. It’s not rocket science. We lost Game 1. We have to be better.” The Thunder aim to replicate their response from the Western Conference semifinals, where they bounced back from a Game 1 loss to Denver with a dominant victory in Game 2, as they continue their quest for the NBA Finals.
What’s next
Looking ahead to Game 2, Daigneault seeks a similar response from his team. He acknowledged the Pacers’ resilience and confidence, emphasizing the need for the Thunder to learn from the loss and prepare for the next challenge in this NBA Finals series.