After an intense third quarter, the fourth quarter had a slow start, with the OKC Thunder gradually finding their rhythm again. “We had control of the game for the most part,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. But it didn’t take long for the Pacers to change that. The team managed to recover in the final seconds of the game. With Tyrese Haliburton’s jaw-dropping 21-foot jumper with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock, the Pacers secured a Game 1 victory. While the OKC coach praised the opponent team’s strategy, Shaquille O’Neal had a strong message after SGA’s comments.

The Pacers were too good. But this is also a huge opportunity for the Thunder to win the championship. After the game, SGA emphasized the need for the team to be better than the Pacers in order to win. “We got to understand that, and we got to get to four before they get to three if we want to win the NBA championship, and it’s that simple. It’s not rocket science. We lost game one. We have to be better,” he said. O’Neal’s message wasn’t much different.

Stressing that the Finals demand intensity and urgency, he warned the Thunder not to take this moment for granted, urging them to be ruthless, focused, and mentally tough. The 4x NBA champ stated that the team shot “40 from the field and 36 from three.” He continued,” But I was sitting there, and they had double-digit leads; the fans were going crazy. When that happens in that moment at home, you have to put them away. This is not another game.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder forced the Indiana Pacers into 19 turnovers in the first half to lead by 12 at the break. This further translated into an advantage in the early fourth quarter when the lead carried 15 points. But we all saw how the home court advantage that the Thunder carried for the first three quarters fell apart.

He further added, “I understand it’s your first time here, but if it ends up like the promo started our show today, and you don’t win, it may be another chance you don’t get back. I was fortunate enough to go back six times.”

SGA dropped a massive 38 points, shooting 14 of 30 to lead the Thunder. Jalen Williams scored 17 points while Lu Dort added 15  points. It is quite right that the OKC Thunder had control throughout the game. However, after a motivating message from Coach Rick Carlisle, the Pacers began to gain momentum in the third quarter as the Thunder struggled to extend their lead. The largest lead Thunder had in the game was 94-79 in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, the Pacers gained a  111-110 win over the Thunder, who were the heavy favorite to win the game. 

And stealing the spotlight in the game was Tyrese Haliburton at OKC’s home court, Paycom Center.

Who did Tyrese Haliburton credit for his thunderous winning shot?

Thanks to Haliburton’s thunderous shot, the team clinched a miraculous win. After SGA missed a shot, the Pacers got the ball. Their coach, Carlisle, still had a timeout but chose not to stop the game. Haliburton got the ball with about six seconds left and made a long two-point shot. Because Carlisle didn’t call a timeout, the Pacers scored quickly.

They still had time to call one before the Thunder had a final chance with just 0.3 seconds left. After the game, Haliburton was quick to appreciate the coach for trusting him and the team during his crucial moments of the game.

“We got the stop, and coach [Carlisle] trusts us in those moments to not call timeouts. He trusts me in those moments, the guys trust me, and I was just trying to make a play. So, man, basketball is fun. Winning is fun. That’s a great win for us,” Haliburton said during the postgame interview on the ESPN broadcast.

He dropped the 14 points and 10 rebounds. Eyes will be closely following the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 to be held in Oklahoma City on Sunday, and even more on how the Oklahoma City Thunder counter them. Shaquille O’Neal’s words might help the Thunder if they need any motivation.