Following their shocking, come-from-behind victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Thursday night, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed the motivation his team has used to get to this point.
Speaking to reporters after the 111-110 win, Haliburton suggested that doubters continue to fuel the Pacers, saying: “After you have a run like last year, then you get swept in the ECF, and all the conversation is about how you don’t belong there … guys are gonna be pissed off. I think we do a great job of taking things personal.”
Last season, the Pacers made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals despite being the No. 6 seed. They were promptly swept by the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics.
Despite their deep playoff run, few gave them much of a chance to repeat this season due to the success and stacked rosters of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Celtics and New York Knicks, who were all seeded ahead of them.
However, the Pacers stunned the Cavs 4-1 in the second round and took down the Knicks 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach their first NBA Finals since 2000.
Despite Indiana’s convincing march to the NBA Finals, it entered Game 1 against OKC as a substantial underdog.
The Thunder were the top team in the NBA during the regular season with a 68-14 record, and they boast the reigning NBA MVP in superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
OKC overwhelmed the Pacers early in Game 1, leading by 12 points at halftime and by as many as 15 at one point.
However, the Pacers embraced their underdog status and continued their trend of closing strong, as they outscored the Thunder by 10 points in the fourth quarter and won the game on a Haliburton jumper with just 0.3 seconds remaining:
Haliburton has made a habit of knocking down clutch shots during the playoffs, particularly in Game 1 situations.
In Game 1 of the ECF against the Knicks, Haliburton made a buzzer beater at the end of regulation to force overtime, and the Pacers went on to win the game.
That set the tone for the series, and it is fair to wonder how different things might have been had the Knicks held on to win Game 1.
History essentially repeated itself in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which could be a great sign for Haliburton and the Pacers in terms of potentially winning the first NBA championship in franchise history.
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