The Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 on Thursday night, overcoming a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to claim Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The comeback was powered by a late-game shot from Tyrese Haliburton, whose clutch performance added another entry to a record-setting postseason run.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, adding 10 rebounds and three assists. Haliburton finished with 16 points and delivered the game’s decisive basket with 0.3 seconds left.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the offensive load with 38 points on 14-of-30 shooting, including three 3-pointers. Despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s effort, Oklahoma City was unable to hold its lead in the final minutes.
Indiana’s victory marks the fifth time this postseason the team has rallied from a deficit of 15 points or more, the most by any team in a single postseason since 1998. The Pacers also became just the third team in NBA history to erase a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter of a playoff game, joining the 2011 Dallas Mavericks and the 1992 Chicago Bulls.
Haliburton’s go-ahead shot in the final seconds was his fifth such basket this postseason, surpassing Ray Allen’s 2009 playoff mark for most go-ahead, game-tying, or game-winning field goals in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime.
Indiana leads the series 1-0. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday night in Oklahoma City.
