Tyrese Haliburton’s clutchness shocks Thunder in Game 1 thriller.

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It was a seismic shot that sent shockwaves through Paycom Center, as Haliburton has done five times this postseason. The unflappable guard received the ball near halfcourt against a stifling Thunder defense, then buried a 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left, giving the Pacers their only lead of the game. The latest for any team since tracking began in 1971.

A jolting silence permeated Oklahoma City as the Indiana Pacers defeated the heavily favored Thunder 111-110 in Game 1. The Pacers were down by as many as 15 in the game and down 108-99 with 2:52 left after two Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made free throws. They didn’t shrink.

Not even 25 turnovers could stop the Pacers, including 19 in the first half. Those 19 first-half turnovers are the most in a postseason first half since 1997.

Indiana also became the first team this century to record 25 or more turnovers and win a Finals game. Most previous instances date back to the 1970s. The victory seemed improbable—but they pulled it off.

Haliburton’s fearlessness saved the Pacers again, showcasing an all-time clutch performance. He now has five go-ahead field goals to win games this postseason. Since 1997, only Reggie Miller (5) and LeBron James (8) have shared this feat.

“We’ve had to win in so many different ways all year,” Haliburton said after the game. “We’ve had so many weird wins during the regular season, during the playoffs. So why would that change because we’re here in the Finals.”

Pascal Siakam grabbed an offensive rebound, cutting the deficit to one with 48 seconds left. Rick Carlisle challenged an out-of-bounds call, but it was unsuccessful.

SGA, the league MVP, scored 38 points on 14-of-30 shooting. Aaron Nesmith forced SGA into a tough fadeaway, allowing Haliburton to grab the defensive rebound and set up the game-winning shot. Carlisle chose not to call a timeout, trusting the Pacers to push the pace.

“We’ve had lots of experience in these kinds of games,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 

This marked Indiana’s fifth postseason game, erasing a 15-point deficit, an NBA record, according to KGET.

The Thunder must adjust as the Pacers now take home-court advantage. Will they shake off the gut-wrenching loss, or will they respond as the youngest dominant team in the league?

“We had control of the game for the most part,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Now, it’s a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league — the hard way.”

Game 2 will be in Oklahoma City on Sunday night.

“Man, basketball’s fun,” Haliburton said. “Winning is fun.”