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Tyrese
Haliburton
rises up
for the
game-winner
in Game
1 of the
NBA
Finals
on
Thursday
night.
(Photo
by Nate
Billings/AP) |
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Tyrese
Haliburton
delivers
in the
final
moments
for the
Pacers
vs
Thunder
Dustin
Schoenherr
- Sports
Tell Us
USA News
Network
OAKLAHOMA
CITY -
In one
of the
most
dramatic
finishes
in NBA
Finals
history,
Tyrese
Haliburton
delivered
the
ultimate
clutch
moment
for the
Indiana
Pacers,
hitting
a
21-foot
pull-up
jumper
with
just 0.3
seconds
remaining
to steal
Game 1
from the
Oklahoma
City
Thunder,
111-110.
What
made
this
victory
so
remarkable
was the
mountain
the
Pacers
had to
climb.
Trailing
by 15
points
with
9:42
left in
the
fourth
quarter,
Indiana
appeared
to be
heading
toward a
disappointing
road
loss to
open the
Finals.
Instead,
they
authored
one of
the most
stunning
comebacks
in
recent
playoff
memory.
The
Pacers
never
led the
entire
game
until
Haliburton's
shot
found
the
bottom
of the
net. For
nearly
48
minutes,
Oklahoma
City
controlled
the pace
and
maintained
their
advantage,
only to
see it
all slip
away in
the
final
seconds.
Tyrese
Haliburton
was the
hero of
the
night,
finishing
with 14
points,
10
rebounds,
and 6
assists.
While
his
statistical
line
might
not jump
off the
page,
his
timing
was
perfect
when it
mattered
most.
Pascal
Siakam
led the
Pacers'
scoring
attack
with 19
points,
providing
the
consistent
offensive
punch
Indiana
needed
throughout
their
comeback
effort.
For
Oklahoma
City,
Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander
was
absolutely
brilliant,
pouring
in 38
points
in what
should
have
been a
game-winning
performance.
The MVP
candidate
did
everything
he could
to put
his team
in
position
to win,
but it
wasn't
enough
to
prevent
the
heartbreaking
loss.
This
marks
the
fourth
shocking
late
comeback
for the
Pacers
during
these
playoffs,
establishing
them as
one of
the most
resilient
teams in
recent
NBA
history.
Their
ability
to stay
composed
and
execute
in
high-pressure
situations
has
become
their
calling
card.
For
the
Thunder,
this
represents
a
devastating
missed
opportunity.
Playing
at home
with a
chance
to take
early
control
of the
series,
they'll
now have
to
regroup
knowing
they've
lost
home-court
advantage.
Game
2 is
scheduled
for
Sunday,
with the
series
now
completely
shifted
in
Indiana's
favor.
The
Pacers
have
proven
they can
win in
hostile
territory
and
deliver
in
clutch
moments,
while
the
Thunder
must
bounce
back
from
what
will
surely
be a
difficult
loss to
process.
The
stage is
set for
what
promises
to be an
unforgettable
NBA
Finals
series,
with
both
teams
having
already
shown
they can
deliver
dramatic
moments
when the
stakes
are
highest.
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