Tyrese Haliburton scored with 0.3 seconds left for Indiana’s first and only lead of the game and the Pacers, the last-minute comeback kings of these playoffs, did it again to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, matching the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in a finals game since Dallas came from 15 down to beat Miami in Game 2 of the 2011 Finals.

The coach of those Mavericks: Rick Carlisle. The coach of these Pacers: Rick Carlisle.

It was the fifth time in Haliburton’s career where he has made a game-tying or go-ahead field goal in the final five seconds of a playoff game, with four of those coming in this post-season alone. Since 1997, when play-by-play tracking was introduced to the NBA, only LeBron James (eight) has more shots in the same situation.

Haliburton has incredibly converted six of his seven shots to tie or take the lead in the final 90 seconds of the fourth quarter or an overtime period in this year’s playoffs.

“Man, basketball’s fun,” Haliburton said. “Winning is fun.”

The Game 1 win was the fourth time these playoffs where the Pacers have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. 

In Game 5 of the first round series against the Bucks, the Pacers trailed 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime and won 119-118. In Game 2 of the second round series against the Cavaliers, Indiana trailed 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. Then in the Eastern Conference Finals opener against the Knicks, they trailed 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation and won 138-135 in overtime.

The Pacers also became just the fourth team in NBA history to win a playoff game despite leading for a total of 30 seconds or less. The most recent team to record such a win was the 2002 Lakers, who led for just 13 seconds in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points. Obi Toppin scored 17, Myles Turner had 15, and Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard each had 14. The Pacers were the first team to win an NBA Finals game with no player scoring 20 or more points since the 2013 Miami Heat.

League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 38 for Oklahoma City, which was 36-1 at home with 15-point leads this season.

“That’s a really good team,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. 

“Credit them for not only tonight but their run. They’ve had so many games like that that have seemed improbable. And they just play with a great spirit and they keep coming. They keep playing.”

Oklahoma City led by 15 early in the fourth when Carlisle called time and subbed out all five players, seeking a spark. It worked. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 15-4 over the next 3:26 — getting within 98-94 on a made three-pointer by Turner with 6:16 left.

They weren’t done. And in the final second, they found a way. Again.

“We had control of the game for the most part,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Now, it’s a 48-minute game. And they teach you that lesson more than anyone else in the league — the hard way.”

AP/ABC