After the Oklahoma City Thunder let a 15-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 111-110 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, former NBA forward and ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson offered his take on the collapse, reflecting on what he saw courtside as part of the Game 1 commentary crew.
Speaking on the Road Trippin’ podcast Friday, Jefferson recapped a key moment he discussed with broadcast partner Doris Burke during the final stretch of the game. He noted how unfamiliar Oklahoma City looked in the closing minutes as Indiana stormed back.
“OKC just looked a little fatigued,” Jefferson said. “And the last thing I’ll say is, I said to Doris during the broadcast, with like a minute to go, three minutes to go, that was the first time I’ve seen OKC look like they were trying to figure out what to do. The guys with the ball in their hands, they were just kind of looking around like, ‘okay where do we want to go?’ Normally they’re locked in, this is how we’re going to attack and this is how we’re going to play.”
Thunder collapse late as Tyrese Haliburton lifts Pacers to stunning Game 1 win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the recently named MVP, led all scorers with 38 points, along with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. He shot 14-of-30 from the field, 3-of-6 from three-point range, and 7-of-8 from the free throw line across 40 minutes of action.
Jalen Williams added 17 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal while shooting 6-for-19 from the floor. Luguentz Dort contributed 15 points, four rebounds, four steals, two blocks, and one assist, finishing 5-for-10 from the field and 5-for-9 from beyond the arc.
Oklahoma City forced 25 turnovers — including 19 in the first half — but struggled to convert those opportunities, shooting just 39.8% from the field as a team. The Thunder led 94-79 with 9:32 left in regulation before Indiana closed on a 32-16 run. The Pacers took their first and only lead on Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining.
While the loss was not Oklahoma City’s first at home this postseason, it marked their first home defeat to an Eastern Conference opponent since March 12, 2024 — also against Indiana. The result gives the Pacers a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals as the series continues.
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