Tyrese Haliburton hit a key jumper with just 0.3 seconds left, sealing an exciting 111-110 comeback victory for the Pacers against the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
The thrilling finish and hard-fought win on the road quickly caught the attention of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who shared his reaction on social media with a single word.
“Helly!?!?” exclaimed the Chiefs star quarterback in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Haliburton, who scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, gave Indiana its first lead with a crucial 21-foot jumper, completing an incredible comeback after they were down by 15 points with 9:42 remaining.
Even when his shots weren’t falling earlier in the game, he came through when it was most important. He now has four go-ahead baskets in the last five seconds of playoff games, second only to LeBron James, who has seven.
Despite committing 24 turnovers compared to Oklahoma City’s six, the Pacers managed to stay close enough to set up another dramatic rally. And that’s exactly what happened.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 19 points, while Obi Toppin added 17 points off the bench. Myles Turner contributed 15 points and Andrew Nembhard chipped in with 14.
This ending reminded fans of Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals when Tyrese Haliburton’s buzzer-beater bounced high before falling in to force overtime, helping Indiana upset New York and move forward in the series.
The Pacers are aiming for their first NBA championship in 58 years, while the Thunder—who won as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979—have not claimed a title since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.
