Falling behind by 15 points in the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals usually signals the end for most teams. Especially when you’re against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But when you have Tyrese Haliburton on your side, like the Pacers do, the story changes. Tonight, Haliburton led a remarkable rally, capped by a buzzer-beating game-winner from the team’s clutch point guard. Yet, the reason Haliburton gave for his outstanding performance was as surprising as the Pacers’ comeback.
Tyrese Haliburton credits his shoes—the Puma Hali 1s—for his success. “Secret sauce was these,” he joked, pointing to his freshly released signature sneakers. While he was clearly teasing, there’s no denying the dramatic way he introduced his new kicks. On top of that, it was a brilliant marketing moment for Puma, the global sportswear powerhouse.
Tyrese Haliburton brought his new Puma Hali 1’s to the podium after he debuted them tonight in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
He joked and called these the secret sauce for the win today.
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/t8XT6QumAf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 6, 2025
Haliburton was so thrilled with his performance in his debut sneakers that he brought them along to the postgame press conference. And really, who could blame him? If you nailed a playoff game-winner on the same night you unveiled your signature shoe, you’d be proudly showing them off too. A memorable night for both Haliburton and the Hali 1s.
The 25-year old made a powerful statement wearing those shoes, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Most importantly, he sank the game-winning shot with just 0.3 seconds remaining to secure a comeback victory for the Pacers.
Tyrese Haliburton and the gritty Indiana Pacers
Haliburton has developed a knack for sinking clutch game-winners throughout this postseason. He started with a step-back three that gave his team a 2-0 lead over the Cavaliers. Then, he celebrated with a Reggie Miller-style gesture after a game-tying shot against the Knicks.
Tonight, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers demonstrated remarkable grit and determination to erase a 15-point deficit. In the process, they made history as the first team to win a game after trailing by more than 9 points in the final five minutes, according to SportsCenter. Since 1971, 183 teams have faced this challenge, and only Indiana has managed to pull off the comeback.
Last year, the Indiana Pacers defied expectations by reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. But they were swept by the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics, leading many to dismiss their playoff run as a fluke. That criticism didn’t sit well with Tyrese Haliburton and his teammates.
The Pacers have carried a chip on their shoulders throughout the playoffs, and that hunger to silence the critics proved crucial in tonight’s record-setting victory. Haliburton spoke about it after the game.
“I think as a group, we take everything personal. Like, as a group, it’s not just me, it’s everybody. I feel like that’s the DNA of this group… But I just think we do a great job of taking things personal. And that gives this group more confidence,” shared the Pacers guard.
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