It was the kind of ending that leaves the soul spinning, not just the box score. Tyrese Haliburton didn’t sink the shot at the buzzer, but what he did in those final moments? Pure precision and artistry. And somehow, it was all quiet. Wait… quiet? Inside Paycom Center, the final horn sounded, and all you could hear was the heavy breathing of a fan base trying to understand what had just happened. No thunder (pun intended), nor roars. Just silence, the kind that echoes deeper when it follows heartbreak.
Even ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne couldn’t hold back: “I was here for Aaron Gordon’s buzzer beater in Game 1 of the second round series and I can tell you this building is a hell of a lot quieter after what Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers just did tonight. Though maybe not as quiet as the Garden after that Game 1. These playoffs have really been incredible.” Her comment climaxes just how stunned even seasoned insiders are by the Pacers’ clutch performance and the sudden silence from a typically raucous Oklahoma City crowd.
You expect a No. 1 seed to stumble at times, yes, but you don’t expect them to look unfamiliar. This wasn’t the Thunder we’d seen all season. This was a team that got bent out of shape by something subtler than brute force.
I was here for Aaron Gordon’s buzzer beater in Game 1 of the second round series and I can tell you this building is a hell of a lot quieter after what Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers just did tonight. Though maybe not as quiet as the Garden after that Game 1. These playoffs…
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 6, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton didn’t break them. He shifted them, with his father courtside cheering for him from start to end. Sure, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped a cold-blooded 38 points on 46.7% shooting and nailed 3-of-6 from deep, but something looked… off. Not just in the stat sheet, but in the eyes, the decisions, and the unforced hesitations.
Tyrese Haliburton shifted OKC’s balance in Game 1 of the NBA Finals
Tyrese Haliburton, who finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, didn’t even attempt a free throw all night. But somehow, he puppeteered Game 1 like it was being played in his backyard. With the ball zipping, shooters spacing, and defenders chasing ghosts, Indiana was dancing with the Thunder’s doubts.
Obi Toppin caught fire off the bench with 17 points on 5 made threes. Andrew Nembhard outplayed his matchup with 14 points and 6 dimes. But it was Haliburton’s gravitational pull, the way defenders couldn’t decide whether to switch or sag, that broke OKC’s core. Even Myles Turner’s 15 points and 9 boards came in rhythms Oklahoma couldn’t disrupt.
Dec 19, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) with guard Andrew Nembhard (2) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
And yes, the final dagger was more collective than individual. But it felt like Oklahoma blinked… and Haliburton never did. But there’s no real Thunder-Pacers history here, and that made this even more jarring. This isn’t Knicks-Pacers or Lakers-Celtics. Indiana and OKC don’t share playoff scars. Their last meaningful game before this Finals series? A March regular season matchup that no one remembered until Tyrese Haliburton reminded us how much had changed.
Before Game 1, these teams had never faced off in the postseason. Different conferences. Different timelines. And yet here we are, with Haliburton casually destabilizing a top-seeded Thunder team on their own floor. No bad blood? Maybe. But it sure got personal fast. Oklahoma’s trademark has always been depth, youth, and confidence. But in Game 1, they looked hesitant. Chet Holmgren finished with just 6 points on 2-of-9 shooting. Jalen Williams took 19 shots and made just 6. Lu Dort hit five threes but couldn’t slow down Indiana’s pace. And their bench? Out-dueled badly.
T. J. McConnell gave Indiana a masterclass in tempo management. Aaron Nesmith grabbed 12 boards, while Pascal Siakam added 19 gritty points. Even Thomas Bryant came in and dropped a surprise 5 points in just eight minutes, because why not?
Meanwhile, OKC’s Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Ajay Mitchell combined for just 8 points in over 24 minutes. The Thunder didn’t just lose the game. They lost the edge that made them feel inevitable all season. And in today’s fickle sports market, is it wise to liquidate certain stocks at the very first sign that they might not perform as well as expected? Or are there certain things one should try to negotiate? Well, after this big L… the Thunder might be reconsidering everything for their deal breaker in Game 2.
And that brings us right back to Haliburton. The guy doesn’t just look comfortable, but in control. Of the moment, the pace, and the Finals. He didn’t need 30 points to do it. He just needed clarity with what looked like a mirror moment. And Oklahoma? They might not like what they see next.
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