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NBA finals: Indiana Pacers stun Oklahoma City Thunder in final second to win Game 1 thriller

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NBA finals: Indiana Pacers stun Oklahoma City Thunder in final second to win Game 1 thriller


Nearly every analyst coming into this year’s NBA finals had the Oklahoma City Thunder beating the Indiana Pacers comfortably. The first three quarters of Game 1 did very little to contradict those predictions until the final minutes, when all hell broke loose.

The reigning NBA MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, looked like, well, the NBA MVP for much of the game as he led the scoring with 38 points. His Thunder team went out to an early 7-0 lead and were 57-45 up by half-time. The second half seemed to be going the same way with the Thunder 15 points up at one point in the fourth quarter.

And then the Pacers, as they so often have in these playoffs, started to fight back. With a minute remaining they had made it a one-point game at 110-109. With a second to go it was still 110-109 and Tyrese Haliburton had a chance to steal the game for the Pacers in outrageous fashion. Just as he had against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, he did not miss when it mattered. His basket put the Pacers up 111-110 and won them the game. Remarkably, the Pacers led for just 0.3 seconds – the blink between Haliburton’s shot and the buzzer.

Haliburton’s shot was the latest game-winner in an NBA finals contest since Michael Jordan’s buzzer-beater to sink the Utah Jazz in 1997, also in Game 1.

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“We’ve just had to figure out how to win in so many ways all year,” said Haliburton. “We’re just a really resilient group, I’m just really proud of this group. We keep believing and we stay together. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”

Quick Guide

NBA finals 2025

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Schedule

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Best-of-seven-games series. All times US eastern time (EDT). 

Thu 5 Jun Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110

Sun 8 Jun Game 2: Pacers at Thunder, 8pm

Wed 11 Jun Game 3: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm

Fri 13 Jun Game 4: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm

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Mon 16 Jun Game 5: Pacers at Thunder, 8.30pm*

Thu 19 Jun Game 6: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm*

Sun 22 Jun Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, 8pm*

*-if necessary

How to watch

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In the US, all games will air on ABC. Streaming options include ABC.com or the ABC app (with a participating TV provider login), as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and Sling TV (via ESPN3 for ABC games). NBA League Pass offers replays, but live finals games are subject to blackout restrictions in the US.

In the UK, the games will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+. As for streaming, NBA League Pass will provide live and on-demand access to all Finals games without blackout restrictions.

In Australia, the games will broadcast live on ESPN Australia. Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now will stream the games live, while NBA League Pass will offer live and on-demand access without blackout restrictions.

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Once again, Indiana had found a way back in these playoffs. On 29 April, they trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 34.6 seconds left in overtime and won 119-118. On 6 May, the Pacers trailed Cleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds left and won 120-119. On 21 May, they trailed New York 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left in regulation and won 138-135 in overtime. Thursday’s comeback was the Pacers’ fifth from 15 or more points down this postseason, an NBA record.

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“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.”

The Pacers had staged the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in a finals game since Dallas came from 15 down to beat Miami in 2011. The coach of those Mavericks: Rick Carlisle. The coach of these Pacers: Rick Carlisle. His decisions on Thursday certainly helped. When the Pacers were 15 points down early in the fourth, 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 to make it 98-94 with a little over six minutes remaining. It was a foundation that would help them stage their remarkable comeback.

Haliburton’s last-gasp heroics spoiled a brilliant outing by Gilgeous-Alexander, whose 38 points were the third-most in an NBA finals debut behind only Allen Iverson (48 in 2001) and George Mikan (42 in 1949).

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is on Sunday night in Oklahoma City. Both teams may just about have recovered by then.

“Man, basketball’s fun,” Haliburton said, reflecting on the end of the game.

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It was hard to disagree.



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Iowa State wrestling adds Brayden Thompson from transfer portal

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Iowa State wrestling adds Brayden Thompson from transfer portal


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Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.

The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.

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Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.

Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.





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Oklahoma’s Jahsiear Rogers ‘Knew It Was Time to Showcase’ His Talents In Spring Game

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Oklahoma’s Jahsiear Rogers ‘Knew It Was Time to Showcase’ His Talents In Spring Game


NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.

Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.

When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.

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Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.

“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”

Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.

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With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.

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“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”

Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.

“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”

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The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.

More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.

But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.

“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”

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Oklahoma knocks off Missouri in series opener

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Oklahoma knocks off Missouri in series opener


The Oklahoma baseball team is back in the mix and trending upward.

After a rough few weeks in Southeastern Conference play, the 14th-ranked Sooners have won three of their last four games to get to .500 at just beyond the halfway point of the league slate. Friday’s 9-6 win over Missouri allowed Oklahoma to move to 8-8, tied with three other teams for eighth in the standings.

Friday’s win wasn’t truly that close, even. OU took a 9-3 lead into the ninth before Mizzou made it somewhat interesting with three runs in the frame. Two of them came with two outs, though, and Mason Bixby induced a groundout with the bases empty to hold on.

The large edge came via a home run-happy night. The Sooners popped four over the wall at Kimrey Family Stadium, including three in a four-run seventh inning that gave OU a four-run lead.

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Jason Walk, who hit one of the four homers, had the best day at the plate. He went 2 for 5 with the shot, three RBIs and a run. Camden Johnson, who also homered, went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and two runs, and Dasan Harris went 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs, and three runs. Trey Gambill hit the Sooners’ other jack.

Oklahoma jumped out to a four-run lead in the second behind four hits and a walk. Missouri helped the Sooners out with an error that resulted in a bases-loaded situation and three unearned runs registered to Tigers starter Josh McDevitt.

The runs were more than enough for Oklahoma’s LJ Mercurius, who pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.

Game 2 in the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday and the finale will be played Sunday at 2 p.m., weather permitting.



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