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OKLAHOMA CITY – Time has often been measured in intriguing ways. For example, consider how significant a day can be, or the concept of a “New York minute.” The list of time expressions goes on indefinitely.
However, it may take an Indianapolis songwriter to truly honor and commemorate that fleeting fragment of time – 0.3 seconds – which dramatically reshaped events on Sunday night during Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
That was the entire duration the Indiana Pacers held the lead in Game 1, which took place on Thursday at Paycom Center, and it happened just before the climax. Tyrese Haliburton’s jumper from 21 feet managed to elude the buzzer and secured a comeback victory for his team, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110.
Witnessing that moment, the Thunder took a hurried timeout, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief, striving to regroup and score what felt like an insurmountable task at that juncture. The crowd’s reaction mirrored that tension, recalling memories of Salt Lake City fans two decades prior, reminiscent of the closing moments of Game 6.
With this dramatic finish, the early narrative of the series took an unexpected turn. The notion of Indiana as the underdog now seems questionable, while Oklahoma City’s confidence could be in jeopardy. As the two teams prepare for a crucial Game 2 on Sunday (8 p.m. ET, ABC), the pressure has shifted to the Thunder rather than the Pacers.
As the teams aim to either uphold or reshape the path set by those exhilarating 0.3 seconds, here are four key points to consider:
Center Isaiah Hartenstein started 53 of his 57 games during the regular season, despite various injuries, and played all 16 playoff games leading up to Game 1. The Thunder had a remarkable record of 57-12 when he played, but they now find themselves 0-1 in the Finals after Coach Mark Daigneault opted for a smaller lineup, bringing guard Cason Wallace into the starting five and separating the duo of Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. Wallace started in place of Hartenstein, aiming to better align with Indiana’s fast pace and their playing style.
How did this strategy pan out? It seemed beneficial based on Indiana’s 20 turnovers in the first half, leading to a 57-45 advantage for OKC. However, when it came to rebounding, the Pacers dominated with a 56-39 edge over the Thunder.
Holmgren, a key figure in OKC’s expected Big 3, averaged 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds throughout the initial playoff rounds but had a subpar performance in Game 1, recording just six points and six rebounds in under 24 minutes. Hartenstein managed to get on the court for 17 minutes, achieving nine points and seven rebounds, which is decent when projected to his usual playtime, but insufficient for such a brief appearance.
The Thunder’s performance is straightforward: they had a stellar 37-3 record during the regular season when securing an equal or greater number of rebounds, and they were 8-1 in the playoffs under similar circumstances. This spring, however, they are sitting at .500 with a 4-4 record when they fall short in rebounds. It’s also worth noting that some of New York’s most successful moments against Indiana occurred with big men Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the court together.
No NBA team had recorded 20 or more turnovers in the first half of a game in nearly 18 years, dating back to November 2007 when the New Jersey Nets had a similar predicament against Miami in a meaningless game. Indiana’s offense recorded that dubious mark during the opening of the 2025 Finals.
This start was emblematic of the Thunder’s sticky defense yet completely atypical for the Pacers, who usually operate with greater precision in their fast-paced style.
As Haliburton noted, “We thrive in controlled chaos, but that was just chaos. Not pretty.”
The approach Indiana will take against Oklahoma City’s top-rated defense, also known for forcing turnovers (17.0 per game), became clearer after halftime. The Pacers slightly slowed their pace from 54 possessions to 47, which allowed for more deliberate passing. They also refrained from mistakes – Obi Toppin, a deep-threat big, had three turnovers in just five minutes at the start but managed none in his subsequent 20 minutes of play.
The turnovers may have curtailed some of Indiana’s possessions, but those they executed correctly were effective. They managed to score 110 points by the narrowest of margins, thanks to Haliburton’s game-winning shot, thus keeping their scoring benchmark alive: Indiana has gone 45-23 when reaching at least 110 points in a game this season and is currently 13-0 in the playoffs under the same condition. In contrast, their record drops to a mere 5-14 when they don’t reach that threshold.
This trend also reflects on the Pacers’ shooting efficiency. They achieved an impressive 49.6% shooting from the field overall, including a remarkable 40.5% from beyond the arc, with a 61.2% true shooting rate, placing them at the top of all three playoff categories. During the regular season, Indiana ranked third, ninth, and fifth in these respective categories.
Coach Rick Carlisle and his team seem to have utilized the additional preparation time during the playoffs to optimize their offensive strategies against opposing defenses for better shooting opportunities. Like the scoring milestones, they are 13-0 when shooting 45% or greater from the field or better than 33% from three-point territory.
Oklahoma City may need to adjust their focus a bit, shifting from forcing turnovers to contesting shots and keeping Indiana’s shooters from finding their rhythm. During the second half of Game 1, the Pacers shot 51.1%, netted half of their 20 attempts from three, and outscored the Thunder 66-53.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appeared to embody his Kia MVP persona, spearheading the offense with 38 points on 14-of-30 shooting in the opener. However, he only registered three assists across more than 39 minutes of play, which is less than half of his seasonal average. Additionally, the Thunder managed only 13 assists on their 39 field goals, significantly lower than their regular-season average of 26.9.
To illustrate the point, OKC completed merely 208 passes throughout the game. This choice may have limited their turnovers to a mere seven, but it came at a considerable cost. According to ESPN, this was the fewest passes recorded by any team in any game this season and the second fewest in a playoff game since the league began tracking data in the 2013-14 season.
By having Gilgeous-Alexander operating as the main offensive facilitator, Indiana was able to focus their defense on curtailing not just his scoring but also his passing abilities. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with six assists, which matched his average, but he might need to step up his playmaking to create a more dynamic offensive approach. Furthermore, the OKC bench combined for only two assists in their total of 71 minutes on the floor.
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Steve Aschburner has been covering the NBA since 1980. To contact him, you can email him here, view his archive here, and follow him on X.
The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
