Well, that didn’t go as planned. The Pacers fell to the Thunder 123-107 in Game 2, evening up the NBA Finals at 1-1. Momentum can flip fast, huh? With the series reset, tension isn’t just boiling on the court—it’s bubbling off it, too. And while the box score told one story, the sidelines told another, specifically, Tyrese Haliburton’s girlfriend, Jade Jones, who became an unlikely Finals headline.

Ah, you gotta love the chaos that the NBA Finals are, where every fan, family member, and girlfriend suddenly becomes a sideline analyst. Case in point? Tyrese Haliburton’s girlfriend, who recently found herself in the middle of a heated courtside exchange during Game 2 between the Pacers and Thunder.

A fan posted a video capturing Jade’s fiery reaction as the Pacers struggled to close a 14-point gap early in the game. “Someone please remind Tyrese Haliburton’s girlfriend that they are still down by 14,” the caption teased, but Jade wasn’t having it. She fired back, showing that she’s as invested in the game as anyone, maybe even more. It’s easy to forget that behind every star like Haliburton is a whole network of supporters feeling the pressure as intensely as the players. After all, when your guy is carrying the hopes of an entire franchise, can you really blame her for getting a little hyped?

And while on hype, remember when, after the Game 1 win, the official Indiana Pacers Instagram account posted a victory graphic, celebrating the huge 1-0 series lead? Yeah, even then, Jade Jones immediately reposted it to her story. The caption? “3 MORE!!!!” Now, if that doesn’t scream confidence, then we don’t know what does. And who can blame her? The entire Pacers fandom was riding high given the turnaround that game saw. The Thunder, leading for three quarters, saw the game change in the very last second. Well, quite literally!

In a series where every possession is magnified, even the sidelines have become battlegrounds of tension and hope, rightly so. But how does everyone have such high confidence in Hali’s play despite the Finals being so intense, you ask?

Because Tyrese Haliburton came into these Finals carrying high expectations. After the Game 1 win, his words were simple but potent: “We just wanna win.” No flair, just focus, and maybe an unspoken promise that he was ready to lead Indiana’s charge. But the crushing Game 2 loss exposes the fragility of that promise.

Can Tyrese Haliburton carry the Pacers beyond this Finals slump?

Tyrese Haliburton showed flashes of why he’s considered one of the NBA’s brightest young stars in Game 1, leading the Pacers to a nail-biting 0.3-second victory over the Thunder with that jumper. With ice in his veins, Haliburton delivered key baskets and smart plays down the stretch, earning the kind of respect and hype that fuels ‘the moment’ talk around him.

Statistically, Haliburton has been solid but not spectacular. His 2025 playoff averages hover at 18.4 points and 9.3 assists per game—good numbers, but not exactly “dominating the moment” stats. And with the Pacers falling 16 points short in Game 2, the question is obvious: can Tyrese elevate his game, and more importantly, can the Pacers rally around him?

Losing a game by that margin in the Finals isn’t just a setback but a loud message that the Thunder have answers and the Pacers need adjustments, and they need it fast. Is this just a hiccup or a sign the Pacers’ hopes are on shaky ground? And not only that, but even Dwyane Wade called him a “superstar” after his Game 1 win.

For Indiana, the loss means more than just a tied series. It’s a wake-up call to tighten defense, build more consistent offense, and avoid letting the momentum slip away. For Haliburton, it’s a test of resilience. Will he stay cool under the heat, or will the weight of expectations start to crack his composure?