Thursday evening was Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. As the #1 seed in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder hosted the Indiana Pacers. They were 10-point favorites heading into the game.
However, the Pacers never gave up and made another improbable fourth-quarter comeback. Something they’ve done numerous times in the 2025 playoffs. Despite being up 15 points with over nine minutes in the fourth, the Thunder let the Pacers back into Game 1. Tyrese Haliburton’s 21-foot jump shot won the game for Indiana. After Game 1, Shaquille O’Neal had some harsh criticism for OKC.
The Thunder blew a golden opportunity to win Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals
Shaquille O’Neal storms ESPN set with comedic flair to roast his future teammate on air https://t.co/QMPrY6EI2D
— M Sports (@MSports_all) June 6, 2025
In Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers pulled off another fourth-quarter comeback to stun the Thunder. Tyrese Haliburton left 0.3 seconds on the clock after he nailed a jump shot to win the game. Despite being a heavy favorite entering the Finals, OKC lost Game 1 at home. Following a loss on Thursday, NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal did not hold back when talking about the Thunder losing Game 1. He had this to say.
“It’s not just another game. I understand it’s your first time here,” said O’Neal. “There may be another chance you don’t get back. This is not another game. This is the NBA Finals. This is the championship run. You gotta have that killer. When you get a team down, you gotta put your foot on their throat.” – Shaquille O’Neal
O’Neal stresses the importance of putting a team away when you have the chance. OKC had plenty of opportunities to do that in Game 1. However, the Pacers continued to battle and slowly chipped away at the lead. The Thunder led for 47 minutes and 59 seconds in Game 1 but still lost. Game 2 is Sunday at 8:00 p.m. EST. Oklahoma City will be desperate for a win and not to fall behind 2-0 in the NBA Finals.
