Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton is on historic clutch streak; here are his best moments

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The Bucks were looking good in overtime. Even after a missed free throw by AJ Green, the one he knocked down gave Milwaukee a 118-111 lead with 40 seconds remaining. Then, it began to unravel. Andrew Nembhard hit a 3-pointer on the other end and then came up with a steal. Haliburton got an and-1 on the ensuing possession, and Milwaukee turned the ball over once again.

With the Pacers down by one, Haliburton brought the ball up the court and went around Giannis Antetokounmpo for a go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds remaining. No miracle took place for the Bucks, and the Pacers finished off theirs to advance to the semifinals.

Haliburton finished with eight points in overtime, and 26 points, nine assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks for the game. It’s the second consecutive season that the Pacers defeated the Bucks in the playoffs, with Indiana doing so in the first round last season.

Game 2 of Eastern Conference semifinals

The Pacers won three road games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) <!–>

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After taking Game 1 from the No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, the Pacers were going to be in solid shape going home, regardless of how Game 2 played out. This was probably the thought that crossed the state of Indiana’s mind when Donovan Mitchell knocked down a pair of free throws to give Cleveland a 119-112 lead with 57 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Then, it started. Aaron Nesmith got a dunk and then forced an offensive foul on Mitchell, which Indiana capitalized on with Pascal Siakam getting an inside bucket, getting the Pacers within three. The Pacers forced a turnover and Haliburton got fouled on the other end with 12 seconds remaining.

Haliburton made the first free throw, missed the second but got his own rebound off a deflection. After bringing the ball out to the perimeter, he made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining. Cleveland didn’t score thereafter, and Indiana took a 2-0 series lead.

The Pacers won the series in five games, going 3-0 on the road.

Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals

The Pacers flattened a 14-point deficit in the final 2:51 of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals to force overtime. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) <!–>

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Jalen Brunson made a 3-pointer with 2:51 remaining in Game 1, giving the New York Knicks a 119-105 lead on their home floor. While this was a high-scoring affair, it appeared to be a game that New York had in the bag. Emphasis on “appeared.”

On the ensuing possession, Haliburton knocked down a 3-pointer. And while New York scored throughout Indiana’s run, Nesmith hit override on all of them, drilling four 3-pointers in the final three minutes and scoring 14 points altogether.

Still, the Knicks led by two with seven seconds remaining. But Haliburton sent the game to overtime with a jumper that bounced in. It was originally ruled a 3-pointer, but replay showed that Haliburton’s foot was on the line, and the game went to overtime.

Indiana proceeded to out-score New York 13-10 in overtime to steal Game 1. Haliburton finished with 31 points and 11 assists. To boot, Haliburton remade Pacers legend Reggie Miller’s “choke” symbol, which he did against the Knicks in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals (however, the Knicks won that series), after the buzzer-beater at the end of the fourth quarter.

The Pacers then won Game 2 and went on to win the series, 4-2, eliminating the Knicks for a second consecutive season.

Game 1 of NBA Finals

The Pacers won Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) <!–>

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With 9:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, Jalen Williams slammed home a bucket for the Thunder, who led 94-79. And then it started to happen.

Indiana scraped and clawed its way within striking distance and put pressure on Oklahoma City to close the game out on its home floor. Following a pair of free throws from Nembhard and a block and score on the other end from Siakam, the Pacers trailed by just one point with 48 seconds remaining.

The Thunder then had two chances to stretch their lead, but Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander couldn’t connect, and the Pacers came down court in the final seconds, with Haliburton getting the honors.

Despite Cason Wallace — who started Game 1 for the Thunder over center Isaiah Hartenstein — draped all over him, Haliburton fired a long-range two-pointer off the dribble and connected with 0.3 seconds remaining. That would be all, as the Pacers got a stop and finished off a 111-110 victory.

Haliburton only had four points in the final 9:42 and finished with 14 points total, but, yet again, he hit the biggest shot of the game. In the aftermath of his latest crunch-time wonder, Haliburton has made four game-tying or go-ahead shots with under three seconds remaining in regulation or overtime this postseason, which ties him for second all-time in the play-by-play era (1996-97 season to present); LeBron James is first with eight.

Haliburton and the Pacers have a 1-0 series lead in the NBA Finals. Who’s to say his next heroic doesn’t result in the Pacers hosting the Larry O’Brien Trophy?

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National Basketball Association

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Tyrese Haliburton

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