The Indiana Pacers have stunned the basketball world after stealing Game 1 of the NBA Finals in a 111-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tyrese Haliburton hit the game-winning shot with less than a second left on the clock as the Pacers took the lead for the first time in what was essentially the final possession of the game. With less than a second left, the Thunder failed to make a shot after their timeout as the Paycom Center fell silent in Oklahoma.
Following the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP of the NBA, spoke to the media regarding the Thunder’s reactions and the aftermath of the loss. He had a very simple explanation for how the Thunder plan to respond to this setback.
“We just got to focus on being better. This series isn’t first to one, it’s first to four. So we have four more games to win and they have three, that’s just where we are. We’ve got to understand that and we got to get to four before they get to three if we want to win the NBA championship, it’s that simple. It’s not rocket science, we lost Game 1. We have to be better.”
The Michael Jordan MVP Award winner, Gilgeous-Alexander, had 38 points in the game to lead all scorers. He also had three assists and five rebounds to go with those points. He made 14 of his 30 field-goal attempts in the game, going three of six from beyond the arc and seven of eight from the free-throw line. While dominating most of the game, Gilgeous-Alexander missed what could have been the game-winning shot that eventually led to Haliburton getting the ball in the final seconds of the game.
What Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Said About Tyrese Haliburton’s Game-Winner
When the media asked ‘SGA’ about the final minute of the game, he seemed indifferent towards Haliburton’s game-winner. While he commended Haliburton’s game-winner, he seemed to be more concerned with his own missed shot to win the game on the other end, or at least force a three-point shot to tie the game.
“I thought I got a pretty good look, felt good, didn’t go in. And then they got a look, and it went in. I don’t know, basketball, ups and downs, it is what it is. You can’t do anything about it now, just got to be better for next game.”
However, he gave Haliburton his flowers a few moments after his initial response.
“I don’t know. It happened so fast. I feel like we got matched. He got down going right, pulled up from middy, and knocked down the shot. I don’t know, it didn’t feel like anything crazy. He just made a play with the time winding down and made a good play.”
Tyrese Haliburton finished the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Thunder’s defense had him locked down for most of the game. So much that Richard Jefferson even claimed on a live broadcast that he was “shooting tour dates” in the game. However, he turned up clutch in the final moments of the game to prove why he is the leader of this team. This records the fifth time this season where the Pacers have come back from a double-digit deficit in the Playoffs. Their resilience has brought them one step closer to their first NBA championship.
