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NBA Finals Game 1 final score, results: Pacers stun Thunder behind another Tyrese Haliburton game-winner

Tyrese Haliburton can’t stop hitting clutch shots.

After leading his Pacers squad to the 2025 NBA Finals with a collection of clutch shots in the Eastern Conference bracket, the star guard did it again on Thursday, hitting the jumper that gave Indiana a 111-110 comeback victory over the Thunder on the road.

Oklahoma City was in full command of Game 1 until the final moments. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped up to the stage with 38 points, while the Thunder defense was everywhere in the first half, forcing turnovers left and right. But just like the rest of their playoff run, when it mattered most, Haliburton and the Pacers were at their best, completing a 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter.

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Pascal Siakam posted 19 points, including a few clutch fourth-quarter buckets, while Obi Toppin mixed in 17 points on five 3-pointers off the bench. Ultimately, it took another heroic shot from Haliburton to steal Game 1, as the Pacers guard added to his legendary run over the past few weeks, hoisting the jumper that gave Indiana a 1-0 lead heading into Sunday’s Game 2.

Between his shot to send the Bucks home in Round 1, a 3-pointer that won a game against the Cavaliers in Round 2, his 3-pointer that bounced off the rim to force overtime against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, and now an NBA Finals game-winner, Haliburton’s clutch gene has been on full display in just one playoff run.

Despite 24 turnovers and a rough first-half performance, the Pacers struck first in the 2025 NBA Finals — and they left the Thunder stunned after a strong effort throughout Oklahoma City’s unit.

The Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights as the Pacers and Thunder faced off in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Thursday night. Here’s what you may have missed from the exciting finish.

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Who won Pacers vs. Thunder last night?

 

NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracket

Pacers vs. Thunder highlights from Game 1 of 2025 NBA Finals

All times ET.

11:24 p.m. — Oklahoma City’s last-second attempt was no-good, helping the Pacers stun the home crowd in Game 1. Shockingly, the Pacers led the game for just a total of 0.3 seconds, falling behind early then winning it on Haliburton’s game-winner. It’s an all-time NBA Finals moment, and this series is just getting started.

11:04 p.m. — Tyrese Haliburton for the win! The Pacers guard does it once again, hitting a jumper to silence the Oklahoma City crowd in Game 1 with just 0.3 seconds remaining. His clutch performances just keep coming, and he’s added yet another heroic shot to his resume: a bucket to help Indiana potentially complete a comeback in the NBA Finals.

11:02 p.m. — Pascal Siakam makes it a 110-109 deficit for the Pacers with under a minute left, but on the following possession, he falls out of bounds for a turnover, with no foul called. With 22.5 seconds remaining, the Thunder lead is at just one point. After a review, the no-call on Siakam stands, giving OKC the ball.

11:00 p.m. — What a block by Lu Dort. The Thunder wing protects the rim by hanging in the air, keeping it a three-point game in the clutch. 

10:58 p.m. — The Pacers are within three! Andrew Nembhard makes a 3-pointer to make it a 108-105 Thunder lead. Indiana remains relentless in the playoffs, but Oklahoma City has been dominant all night.

10:57 p.m. — Gilgeous-Alexander connects on two free throws, but Aaron Nesmith answers with a three. It’s a six-point deficit for Indiana.

10:52 p.m. — With under four minutes left, the Thunder are holding on to a slim lead. Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the rim for a nice finish to reach 32 points, but could the Pacers make one more run?

10:48 p.m. — Tune into Game 1. The Pacers are within just four points after trailing for nearly the entire game, attempting to add yet another comeback to their incredible playoff run so far. Obi Toppin is up to 17 points on five threes, while Myles Turner banked in a deep shot to trim the deficit.

10:43 p.m. — With under eight minutes to go, Indiana remains in striking distance. A Myles Turner 3-pointer makes it an eight-point game, and as the Pacers have cleaned up their turnovers in the second half, just one strong run could propel them back in it.

10:40 p.m. — That’s tough, Alex Caruso.

10:32 p.m. — OKC is pulling away to begin the fourth quarter. It’s now a 15-point lead for the Thunder thanks to a few buckets for Jalen Williams. After a slow start, Williams has 15 points.

End of third quarter: Thunder 85, Pacers 76

10:24 p.m. — Gilgeous-Alexander downs a deep shot just before the third quarter clock expires, but somehow, Indiana is hanging around in this one. Despite a seemingly endless collection of turnovers, the Pacers are only down nine as we head to the fourth.

10:22 p.m. — Make it 21 turnovers for the Pacers in Game 1. The Thunder, still up double-digits, have been everywhere.

10:16 p.m. — An impressive block from the Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin:

10:13 p.m. — The Thunder have also gotten a fantastic Game 1 from Lu Dort. He’s got 15 points and four steals, and with five 3-pointers already, he’s one away from tying the record for most threes in a Finals debut, per ESPN.

10:11 p.m. — Gilgeous-Alexander has been a significant focal point of Oklahoma City’s offense, but that’s paid off. The MVP has taken 23 shots, 11 of which have gone in. He’s now a +14 in this game and has 25 points.

10:03 p.m. — Offense has picked up early in the third quarter. Siakam is up to 13 points for Indiana, but the Pacers still trail by 12.

10:00 p.m. — The second half is underway. The Thunder defense was historically dominant in the first half:

Halftime: Thunder 57, Pacers 45

9:40 p.m. — The first half comes to a close with the Thunder in control. Gilgeous-Alexander has stepped up to the stage with 19 points, while the Thunder defense has constantly come away with the ball. Lu Dort and Alex Caruso have combined for seven steals.

All things considered, Indiana only being down 12 while being on the wrong end of an 19-4 turnover differential may not be too bad.

9:38 p.m. — This has been a masterclass showing from Oklahoma City’s defense, but a rough showing from Indiana’s offense in terms of taking care of the ball. The Pacers have a whopping 19 turnovers in the first half.

9:36 p.m. — Lu Dort sneaks up behind Haliburton for another Thunder steal, then hits a shot from deep soon after to push the OKC lead back to 10.

9:33 p.m. — A total of 21 players have already gotten minutes in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Both teams are more than willing to display their depth.

9:26 p.m. — It’s been a quieter second quarter for both teams, but the Pacers are right back in it. Indiana trails by four, with Pascal Siakam now up to a team-high eight points. However, the Pacers already have 15 turnovers.

9:20 p.m. — Tyrese Haliburton’s first 3-pointer makes it a six-point deficit for Indiana. 

9:13 p.m. — Oklahoma City is up to 11 free-throw attempts already, now with an 11-point advantage. Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caurso each have seven points off the bench.

End of first quarter: Thunder 29, Pacers 20

9:07 p.m. — An Obi Toppin 3-pointer helps the Pacers get something going at the end of the quarter, but after 12 minutes, the Thunder are in control at home. Gilgeous-Alexander has 11 points, and Indiana has turned the ball over nine times.

9:02 p.m. — Make it 11 points for Gilgeous-Alexander in the first frame after a nice fading bucket. He’s off to a terrific start in his first NBA Finals, and OKC is now up double-digits.

8:58 p.m. — OKC has reclaimed the momentum, up 19-13 after Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Joe and Alex Caruso find the bottom of the net. SGA is up to nine points in the first quarter.

8:51 p.m. — For the most part, defense has been the story in the first quarter of Game 1. The Thunder are shooting 31.3 percent from the floor, the Pacers shooting 40.0 percent.

8:44 p.m. — Indiana has settled in a bit more, with Andrew Nembhard connecting on a 3 that knots it at 10 points apiece early.

8:40 p.m. — It’s a 7-0 run for the Thunder to open Game 1 at home, as Jalen Williams nails a pull-up 3-pointer in transition.

8:39 p.m. — They’re underway in Oklahoma City. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opens the scoring with a layup.

Pregame

8:31 p.m. — It’s that time. The 2025 NBA Finals are here, just minutes away from tip off between the Thunder and Pacers. Buckle up.

8:26 p.m. — It’s the typical playoff starting five for Indiana:

8:24 p.m. — The Thunder are shaking up their starting lineup for the NBA Finals. Isaiah Hartenstein heads to the bench, while Cason Wallace joins the starters:

7:49 p.m. — Tyrese Haliburton helped Indiana steal Game 1 on the road in New York in the ECF. Can he do it again in the NBA Finals?

7:26 p.m. — SGA and Tyrese Haliburton, the two biggest stars in this series, are in the building for Game 1.

7:23 p.m. — Here’s a look at the NBA Finals patches each team will be wearing:

7:21 p.m. — The stage for Game 1 in Oklahoma City is set.

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Pacers vs. Thunder start time

  • Date: Thursday, June 5
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. PT

Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Pacers and Thunder will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 5. The game will be played at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

How to watch the 2025 NBA Finals

  • TV channel: ABC (U.S.) | TSN 1/4 (Canada)
  • Live stream: Sling

Game 1 of Pacers vs. Thunder will air on ABC in the United States and TSN in Canada. 

Viewers can also stream the games live on Sling, which will carry every NBA playoff game in 2025. Sling is your home for playoff action. Catch NBA and NHL postseason games with a range of sports channels including TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, ABC and more.

NBA Finals schedule 2025

(1) Thunder vs. (4) Pacers

Date Game Time (ET) TV/Live stream
June 5 Game 1: Oklahoma City vs. Indiana 8:30 p.m. ABC, Sling
June 8 Game 2: Oklahoma City vs. Indiana 8 p.m. ABC, Sling
June 11 Game 3: Indiana vs. Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m. ABC, Sling
June 13 Game 4: Indiana vs. Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m. ABC, Sling
June 16 Game 5: Oklahoma City vs. Indiana* 8:30 p.m. ABC, Sling
June 19 Game 6: Indiana vs. Oklahoma City* 8:30 p.m. ABC, Sling
June 22 Game 7: Oklahoma City vs. Indiana* 8 p.m. ABC, Sling

*If necessary

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