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[Saba Sports News] If there’s one lesson teams have learned during the NBA playoffs, it’s that no lead is safe against the Indiana Pacers — something Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hopes his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates fully understand after Game 1 of the Finals.
The Pacers stormed back from a 15-point deficit to stun the Thunder 111-110 on Thursday night at Paycom Center, with Tyrese Haliburton once again playing the hero by sinking a game-winning shot just before the buzzer.
After the loss, Gilgeous-Alexander offered a candid takeaway about Indiana’s resiliency.
“It’s a 48-minute game. [The Pacers] teach you that lesson more than anybody else in the league — the hard way,” he told reporters.
Indiana has now pulled off five postseason wins after trailing by at least 15 points. Thursday’s comeback was historic: the Pacers became the first team since 1971 to win an NBA Finals game after being down by 9 or more points with under three minutes to play. Teams in that position were previously 0-182.
While Haliburton offered a fresh take on his clutch performance, the truth is the Pacers thrive in comeback situations. As Gilgeous-Alexander noted, they punish any opponent that fails to compete for the full 48 minutes.
Game 1 may have been a harsh reality check for the Thunder — one they can’t afford to ignore moving forward.