OKLAHOMA CITY — Add another game-winner to Tyrese Haliburton’s late-game heroics in the playoffs, as his father watched the Indiana Pacers steal another postseason win to secure a 1-0 lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. After a critical defensive stop on Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Haliburton responded with a go-ahead jumper, giving the Pacers their first lead of the game, which cemented a 111-100 win in the series opener.
With 0.3 seconds on the clock, the Thunder came up short in their final possession. After the Pacers’ win, Haliburton celebrated with his dad in the tunnel leading to the court at the Paycom Center, per NBA on ESPN’s X, formerly Twitter.
Tyrese Haliburton celebrating with his dad after his first NBA Finals win
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/QuGUxIAiR9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 6, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton’s dad, John Haliburton, was seen watching his son and the Pacers warm up before Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It’s unclear whether he was sitting courtside for the game itself. However, the video of him embracing his son after Tyrese’s game-winning three in his NBA Finals debut went viral after the one-point victory. Haliburton’s game winner topped a 12-3 Pacers run to grab a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
Haliburton finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Pascal Siakam’s 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, 10 rebounds, and three assists led six Pacers players in double figures, including Obi Toppin’s five threes en route to 17 points off the bench. Myles Turner added 15 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks.
Rick Carlisle reveals his message to Pacers before buzzer-beater
After the win, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle revealed his message before the final play. Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton scored following Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s missed shot. Without Carlisle signaling for a timeout, Haliburton drained the game-winning shot.
“We said if it is their ball, let’s get the shot, there’s going to be a difference in the shot clock and the game clock,” Carlisle said. “And if we get a stop and get the rebound, we’re gonna go. Get the ball in Tyrese’s hands and try to make a play.”
The Pacers will look to grab a 2-0 lead in Game 2 on Sunday.
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