Basketball: NBA Finals, Haliburton leads Indiana, Pacers 1-0 over Oklahoma

Rome, 6 June (LaPresse) – Tyrese Haliburton, already a star in the playoffs, leads the Indiana Pacers to victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game ended 111-110 with the visitors taking their first and only lead of the game with a basket from their star player just three-tenths of a second before the end. The Oklahoma City Thunder were ahead throughout the game, even reaching a maximum lead of +15 at the start of the fourth quarter, before Indiana staged a comeback. It is their fifth comeback in these playoffs, an NBA record. Three-pointers from Toppin, Turner and Nembhard brought the Pacers back into the game until Haliburton's decisive basket, which ended an evening in which he scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made 6 assists, shooting 6/13 from the field. The Thunder were unable to capitalise on the 38 points scored by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was the villain of the piece after missing the last chance on offence just before Haliburton's play. Jalen Williams also finished in double figures with 17 points.