NBA: Buzzerbeater gives Indiana Pacers win over Oklahoma City Thunder in finals opener
Indiana hadn't led in the game until Haliburton drained the shot with 0.3 seconds remaining.
Photo:
AFP
Guard Tyrese Haliburton hit a 21-foot pull-up jumper in the final second, as Indiana Pacers enjoyed a stunning 111-110 comeback win over Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Pacers hadn't led in the game, until Haliburton drained the shot with 0.3 seconds remaining.
The best-of-seven series resumes with Game 2 in Oklahoma City on Monday (NZT).
Indiana trailled by 15 early in the fourth quarter, before chipping away at the Thunder lead to ultimately win the final quarter 35-25.
Oklahoma City forced plenty of turnovers, especially early, but the Thunder couldn't take advantage often enough, scoring just 11 points on Indiana's 25 giveaways.
The Pacers turned the ball over 20 times in the first half alone.
Early in the fourth quarter, Indiana were barely hanging on.
Down by 13, the Pacers missed three consecutive shots on one possession.
- Reuters
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Indiana hadn't led in the game until Haliburton drained the shot with 0.3 seconds remaining. Photo: AFP Guard Tyrese Haliburton hit a 21-foot pull-up jumper in the final second, as Indiana Pacers enjoyed a stunning 111-110 comeback win over Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers hadn't led in the game, until Haliburton drained the shot with 0.3 seconds remaining. The best-of-seven series resumes with Game 2 in Oklahoma City on Monday (NZT). Indiana trailled by 15 early in the fourth quarter, before chipping away at the Thunder lead to ultimately win the final quarter 35-25. Oklahoma City forced plenty of turnovers, especially early, but the Thunder couldn't take advantage often enough, scoring just 11 points on Indiana's 25 giveaways. The Pacers turned the ball over 20 times in the first half alone. Early in the fourth quarter, Indiana were barely hanging on. Down by 13, the Pacers missed three consecutive shots on one possession. - Reuters
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Former Silver Ferns Casey Kopua and Katrina Rore were lured out of retirement in recent years. Photo: Photosport Analysis - When injury strikes professional netball teams regularly turn to retired players to take a bib in a comeback more common in netball than any other sport. Whether it is smaller squad sizes, a shorter season or trusting experience over the untested it seems some netball coaches still have their former charges on speed dial when they have a crisis. Former Silver Ferns defender Casey Kopua is latest to wind back the clock. Six years after she last played elite netball she was called up by the Giants in Australia's domestic competition on Sunday to help a team hit hard by injuries this season. Kopua is experienced, she played 112 tests for New Zealand, won two Commonwealth Games gold medals and was a world champion. But she had never played in the Australian competition before. Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald coached Kopua at the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the former trans-Tasman competition, so knew what she was getting even if the 39-year-old mum of three had only played some club and indoor netball in recent years. Fitzgerald justified calling (well texting) Kopua rather than a training partner or reserves player by pointing out that the Giants were the youngest team in Super Netball. "I think the best thing I can give those young pathways athletes is to put someone out there with a bit of experience and guidance who can lead them around the court a bit," Fitzgerald told Fox Sports. The Giants are struggling. The team is at the bottom of the ladder with one win in eight games. Kopua's involvement did not change the result. While Kopua's comeback after such a long time away was notable, she joins a list of women who have answered an SOS. For years coaches of New Zealand's domestic teams have opted to find injury replacements from the sidelines rather than the squad. Northern Stars midcourter Temepara Bailey is making waves in the 2019 ANZ Premiership season Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2019 Former Silver Ferns midcourt player Temepara Bailey answered the call to return to the court more than once. Now head coach of the Stars, who have had their own injury crisis to start the current ANZ Premiership season, Bailey came out of retirement in 2014 to help the Mystics. Bailey had retired from the international game in 2011 and left the Mystics in 2012. She had remained connected to the Mystics occasionally training with the team when a knee injury for Erikana Pedersen meant then-coach Deb Fuller turned to Bailey as a replacement. By 2019 Bailey had been across town with Auckland's other ANZ Premiership side the Stars for a couple of years as an assistant coach. 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