2025 NBA Finals: Tyrese Haliburton Credits Head Coach Rick Carlisle For Bold Move Leading To Indiana Pacers’ Game 1 Win

Garima Ranawat

Last updated: June 6, 2025

3 min read

Tyrese Haliburton came up with a game-winning jumper in the final seconds of Game 1.

Image Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton credited head coach Rick Carlisle for trusting them in the final moments of Game 1 against the OKC Thunder. Notably, the Pacers are making their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, aiming for their first ever championship. In the series opener, they overcame a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter and registered another comeback, opening the campaign with a 111-110 victory against the heavyweights.

After the game, the two-time NBA All-Star credited head coach Rick Carlisle for his trust at the crucial point. He said, “We got the stop and coach trusts us in those moments to not call timeouts. He trusts me in those moments, the guys trust me and I was just trying to make a play. So, man, basketball is fun. Winning is fun. That’s a great win for us.”

TYRESE HALIBURTON GIVES THE PACERS THE LEAD!

GET TO ABC NOW FOR THE FINISH! pic.twitter.com/l4SPrNspGG
— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 2025

In the final seconds of the game, Carlisle didn’t call timeout after Aaron Nesmith rebounded a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander miss. Instead, he trusted Haliburton, and the latter made the most of it by coming up with a dramatic game-winning jumper in the 0.3 seconds and pushed his team to a narrow win.

"It ain't over 'till it hit zero."@TyHaliburton22 on the Pacers' 5th 15-PT comeback of the Playoffs 😤#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV https://t.co/heI0ELIQlu pic.twitter.com/iTQF8iuR6W
— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 2025

Tyrese Haliburton Hails Indiana Pacers As a Resilient Group

Haliburton, who scripted history earlier during the Conference Finals series against the New York Knicks, hailed his team as a resilient group. Notably, the 25-year-old came up with the first buzzer beater in an NBA Finals game since Michael Jordan’s shot during Chicago Bulls’ clash against the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of the 1997 Finals. He spoke about how Indiana managed to stun Oklahoma City in the final seconds of the Thursday-night game.

Haliburton said, “As a group, we never think the game is over, ever. Honestly speaking, ever. I don’t know what you say about it, but I know that this group is a resilient group. And we don’t give up until it’s 0.0 on the clock.” He added, “If you look at all the numbers, it’s not the recipe to win. We can’t turn the ball over that much. We have to do a better job of being in gaps, rebounding, all over the floor. But come May and June, it doesn’t matter how you get them, just get them.”

The former Iowa star finished the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Talking about the NBA Finals, the second game of the series is set to take place on Sunday, June 8.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Tyrese Haliburton

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.