The Indiana Pacers continued their remarkable journey in the 2025 playoffs with a thrilling comeback, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. The Pacers, who were down by as much as 15 points in the fourth quarter, secured their first lead with a game-winning jump shot by Tyrese Haliburton just 0.3 seconds before the final buzzer.

Looking ahead, the next matchup in the series is set for Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

This marks the Thunder’s return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 after they triumphed over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals. Meanwhile, the Pacers achieved victory over the New York Knicks, reaching the Finals for the first time since 2000.

Despite a stellar regular season, winning 68 games, the Thunder entered as favorites to win the title but saw their odds drop in the wake of Game 1. Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on track to emulate the legendary Stephen Curry by capturing both the MVP award and an NBA championship in the same year?

2025 NBA Finals Schedule (Series: Pacers lead 1-0)

• Thursday, June 5: Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
• Sunday, June 8: Game 2: Thunder vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., ABC
• Wednesday, June 11: Game 3: Pacers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., ABC
• Friday, June 13: Game 4: Pacers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., ABC
• Monday, June 16: Game 5: Thunder vs. Pacers, 8:30 p.m., ABC
• Thursday, June 19: Game 6: Pacers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., ABC
• Sunday, June 22: Game 7: Thunder vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., ABC

Summary of the Playoffs

The postseason now narrows down to two teams after eliminating the Kings, Mavericks, Bulls, and Hawks in the Play-In Tournament. The Grizzlies, Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, Heat, Bucks, Pistons, and Magic exited in the first round, while the Nuggets, Warriors, Cavaliers, and Celtics fell in the second round. The Timberwolves and Knicks were the last teams to leave in the conference finals. **