Pacers end brutal 121-game NBA Finals streak with wild comeback vs. Thunder
The NBA Finals looked destined to become an Oklahoma City Thunder romp. Thunder fans clad in white and filling the Paycom Center watched their team lead by 15. But the Indiana Pacers deflated the energy inside the arena — and snapped a long streak afterward.
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Indiana never led until the 0.3 seconds mark of the fourth. Tyrese Haliburton lifted the Pacers to the lead. All thanks to this epic basket.
Indiana pulled off the 111-110 victory to open this latest finals series. But the Pacers pulled off another feat per AP Sports basketball writer Josh Dubow.
'Pacers trailed by nine with 2:52 to play. In play-by-play era (since start of 1997 playoffs), teams were 0-121 in NBA Finals when trailing by 7+ points in final 3:00 of 4th quarter or overtime before tonight,' Dubow mentioned.
That's an astonishing feat shattered by Indiana. And that wasn't the only mark they hit.
Pacers hit 1 more accolade in beating Thunder
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Indiana hit more finals history. Per NBA Communications, the visiting team tied this mark.
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'The Pacers tied the biggest fourth-quarter comeback (15-point deficit) in the NBA Finals since 1971,' the account posted via X (formerly Twitter).
That '71 series pitted the Milwaukee Bucks against the Baltimore Bullets. The Bucks won that series in a sweep.
'Indiana took its first lead of the game with 0.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Since 1971, this is the latest into any Finals game that a team took its first lead,' NBA Communications confirmed.
Jalen Williams threw down a dunk that placed OKC up 94-79 with 9:42 left. OKC grew used to taking massive leads, and not letting the foot off the gas pedal. But the Pacers were the ones hitting the acceleration key.
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Andrew Nembhard sparked the rally on a driving layup. Obi Toppin then hit a 26-foot shot from behind the arc. Myles Turner sliced the lead to eight off his long-range three-point basket. He banked another with 6:50 left that made it 98-91.
Turner scored the next five points to push the deficit to four at 100-96. OKC led by nine with 2:52 left. But Indiana closed on a 12-2 run to grab the opening game. And shattered history in the process.
Related: Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's girlfriend reacts to shocking NBA Finals game-winner
Related: Look at this Bucks fan who perfectly predicted Pacers' NBA Finals Game 1 outcome
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