The Indiana Pacers’ 111-110 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals was an incredible come-from-behind victory without question. Tyrese Haliburton shocked the Thunder with a game-winning shot late in the fourth quarter, completing a 15-point comeback. Head coach Rick Carlisle’s Pacers became the first team since Rick Carlisle’s 2011 Dallas Mavericks to complete a 15-point comeback in an NBA Finals contest, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
“The Pacers rallied from a 15-point deficit to win Game 1. Last team to do that in a Finals game? Rick Carlisle’s Mavericks in 2011,” MacMahon wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Carlisle has become one of the most respected coaches in the NBA. The 65-year-old led Dallas to its first championship in the 2010-11 campaign. Similarly to the 2024-25 Pacers, the Mavericks were not expected to make a deep postseason run. Yet, the Mavs believed in their potential as Dirk Nowitzki led the way.
These Pacers also have confidence in their ceiling with Tyrese Haliburton leading the way. The fact of the matter is that coaching will be crucial in the 2025 NBA Finals. Carlisle’s decisions could make or break certain games. The same can be said for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault.
Oklahoma City entered the series as heavy favorites following a big regular season and an impressive playoff run. Indiana’s Game 1 victory is pivotal to say the least, though. The Thunder are probably still favored by many, but the Pacers took a big step toward a possible upset on Thursday night.
Still, the team has three more victories to capture, and earning those wins will prove to be an immense challenge. The Pacers and Thunder will go head-to-head in Oklahoma City once again in Game 2 on Sunday night at 8 PM EST in what projects to be another competitive NBA Finals affair.
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