Pacers beat Thunder with buzzer beater in NBA Finals opener

With a last-second basket by Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers pulled out an upset 111-110 victory Thursday over the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder in the first game of the NBA Finals.

Haliburton's long shot with 0.3 seconds on the clock was the first chance for Indiana to take the lead on the scoreboard.

Cheered on by the 18,200 spectators, the Thunder dominated all night under the guidance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 38 points.

The display by the Canadian, the flamboyant Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season, led the Thunder to a 15-point lead in the final quarter.

But the Pacers, a team with bombproof faith, spoiled the party at Paycom Center with yet another miracle of their dream playoffs.

Five consecutive points from Andrew Nembhard and two from Pascal Siakam brought Indiana to within just one point (110-109) with 48 seconds left.

Two misses by Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams left the last possession in the hands of Haliburton, who, with another unlikely basket, had already been the hero of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks.

The point guard, who finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists, drifted to the right side of the offense, found separation with Cason Wallace, and nailed the shot that fulminated the home side.

"We had to figure out how to win in a lot of different ways all year long (...) We're a resilient group. We keep believing and stay united," Haliburton stressed after the win.

The next round of the best-of-seven series will be played again in Oklahoma City on Sunday.