OKLAHOMA CITY — Tyrese Haliburton scored with 0.3 seconds left for Indiana’s first and solely lead of the sport and the Pacers, the last-minute comeback kings of those playoffs, did it once more to beat the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 111-110 in Recreation 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night time.
“We’re a resilient group,” Haliburton mentioned afterwards throughout an interview on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” “We simply hold saying that to you guys. You guys hold asking us, and we hold giving you an identical reply. We’re a resilient group and we do not surrender until the clock hits zero. We do an ideal job of simply staying within the second. Attempt to get from 15 to 10 (down), 10 to five, 5 to 0. We simply stroll groups down. Actual pleased with this group.”
The Pacers have been down by 15 with 9:42 left, matching the largest fourth-quarter comeback in a finals sport since Dallas got here from 15 right down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011.
The coach of these Mavericks: Rick Carlisle. The coach of those Pacers: Rick Carlisle.
And as soon as once more, Indiana discovered a means on the finish in these playoffs. On April 29, it trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in time beyond regulation and received 119-118. On Could 6, the Pacers trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and received 120-119. On Could 21, they trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation and received 138-135 in time beyond regulation.
Now, this.
“We have needed to win so many alternative methods all 12 months,” Haliburton mentioned on “SportsCenter.” “Throughout the common season. Throughout the playoffs. So why would that change throughout the Finals? We simply hold staying at it and hold believing. And that is the consequence we get.”
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 factors. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard every had 14.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 38 for Oklahoma Metropolis, which was 36-1 at dwelling with 15-point leads this season.
Recreation 2 is at Oklahoma Metropolis on Sunday night time.
Oklahoma Metropolis led by 15 early within the fourth when Carlisle referred to as time and subbed out all 5 gamers, in search of a spark. It labored. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 15-4 over the following 3:26 — getting inside 98-94 on a 3 by Turner with 6:16 left.
They by no means stopped, all the way in which to the tip.
The Related Press contributed to this report.