Tyrese Haliburton stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder with a game-winning jumper in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, lifting the Indiana Pacers to a 1-0 series lead in thrilling fashion. The shot triggered a viral moment as NBA legend Dwyane Wade reacted live, visibly shocked and animated on stream.
Indiana’s improbable postseason run began with an upset over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, followed by unexpected victories over the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks. The Pacers’ Cinderella story now includes a dramatic Finals-opening win few saw coming.
Pacers Shock Thunder in NBA Finals Opener as Tyrese Haliburton Hits Game-Winner
In a dramatic Game 1 finish, Haliburton delivered a cold-blooded game-winning shot to lift the Indiana Pacers over the Oklahoma City Thunder, 1-0, in the 2025 NBA Finals. Oklahoma City appeared firmly in control, holding a nine-point lead with under three minutes to play. Indiana had not led at any point until Haliburton’s clutch jumper sealed the stunning one-point win.
The moment went viral immediately—not just for the shot, but for NBA legend Wade’s live-streamed reaction. Watching the final sequence, Wade erupted as the ball dropped through the net.
“Oh s***! Superstar, superstar, superstar!” he shouted, leaping out of his seat. The genuine, unscripted outburst quickly lit up social media, drawing praise from fans and former players alike.
“SUPERSTAR,” Wade repeated, fully embodying the disbelief and excitement felt across the basketball world.
“SUPERSTAR! SUPERSTAR!”
Dwyane Wade’s LIVE REACTION of the Tyrese Haliburton Game Winner😳 pic.twitter.com/UgqSrZp2Cn
— Wy Network by Dwyane Wade (@wynetwork) June 6, 2025
Haliburton entered this postseason under a harsh spotlight, having been voted the league’s most overrated player by his peers. Yet he has turned that criticism into fuel, authoring one of the most impressive playoff runs in recent memory.
His Game 1 heroics marked the fourth straight round in which he’s delivered a go-ahead or game-tying basket in the closing moments—a feat unmatched even by greats like Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Haliburton now has six such shots in the final 90 seconds of games this postseason, more than any player in the play-by-play era.
Wade, a five-time Finals participant and the 2006 Finals MVP, recognizes greatness when he sees it. And Haliburton’s composure in the spotlight has already become the defining storyline of the series.
The Pacers, who entered the postseason as underdogs, knocked off Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Knicks to reach the Finals. Now, with a thrilling Game 1 victory over the Thunder, Indiana’s Cinderella run continues—fueled by a rising superstar and punctuated by one unforgettable reaction.
