Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner summed up Tyrese Haliburton’s mentality after another playoff game-winner. The Pacers did it again. Another furious rally, another cold-blooded shot by the face of the franchise. This time, it was in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite some lackluster shooting, the No. 1 seed in the NBA looked the part for most of the game. OKC gave the Pacers fits on offense, generating a staggering 24 total turnovers.
But Indiana, like it’s done so many times during this run, kept the game close, had some super clutch plays from the supporting cast, and needed just 0.3 to lead the game to seal the 111-110 victory. The Pacers once again stole victory from the jaws of defeat and have taken home-court advantage in the first game of a series. It was another stunning affair that reflects the group’s championship-level resilience. In the postgame, Turner reflected on his point guard’s demeanor in these end-of-game moments with a poignant statement.
“He’s (Haliburton) got the ultimate, ultimate confidence in himself. Some players will say they have it, but there’s other players that show it, and he’s going to let you know about it too. That’s one of the things I respect about him. He’s a baller, man. He’s a hooper. He’s really just a gamer when it comes to them moments, he wants the ball. He wants to be the one to hit that shot. He does not shy away from the moment and it’s very important to have a go-to guy like that this time of the year. He just seems to keep finding a way to keep the ball in the right positions, and the rest is history.”
The Pacers have reshaped their ceiling time and time again during this playoff run
If they want, the Thunder can have the same takeaway the New York Knicks had after their stunning Game 1 loss to the Pacers. OKC can believe that it had control of the game and outplayed Indiana, and it was a fluke win for the Eastern Conference champions. It is true that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company had their opponents looking entirely out of sorts at times. One of the Pacers’ primary strengths is their ability to take care of the ball, and the Thunder were turning that strength into a weakness. But it didn’t matter in the end. OKC gave Indiana an opening like New York did and paid the price.
And now the Thunder will head into a Game 2 that they better win if they realistically want to win their first-ever NBA championship. Head coach Rick Carlisle’s team is similarly going for franchise history in a season that has taken a turn for the best in the second half. But the work is not done yet, and this will be the Pacers’ hardest series to close out. The trend in these playoffs is that Indiana can win two games on an opponent’s home court to open a series. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if this group continues that trend.
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