The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a devastating loss on Thursday night, falling to the Indiana Pacers 111–110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals after a buzzer-beating game-winner by Tyrese Haliburton. Despite the result, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shined for the Thunder with a standout performance and helped make history alongside his fellow Canadian players.
While the spotlight was on the Finals clash, a significant subplot unfolded on the court: four Canadian players—Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Andrew Nembhard, and Bennedict Mathurin—combined to score 72 points, the most ever by Canadian players in a single playoff game, according to Keerthika Uthayakumar.
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 38 points, continuing his run as one of the league’s elite postseason performers. Dort added 15 points, including five made three-pointers, providing crucial support on both ends. On the Pacers’ side, Nembhard chipped in 14 points and hit a critical jumper over SGA late in the game, while Mathurin added five off the bench.
The Pacers displayed their offensive depth in the win, with five players scoring at least 14 points. That collective scoring effort was pivotal in their comeback from a double-digit deficit and speaks to their unselfish playing style under head coach Rick Carlisle.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on prior to a game against the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs
With the victory, Indiana matched a historic NBA Finals feat. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Pacers became the first team since Carlisle’s 2011 Dallas Mavericks to come back from a 15-point deficit and win Game 1 of the Finals—a testament to the team’s resilience and poise.
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Despite the loss, Gilgeous-Alexander remained composed and reflective about the final moments. Speaking on Haliburton’s game-winner, he said: “It happened so fast. He got downhill, pulled up from the mid, and knocked down the shot. I don’t know—it didn’t feel like anything crazy. He just made a play with the time winding down.”
As the series progresses, the Thunder will look to bounce back and capitalize on their star’s momentum, while the Pacers aim to build on a dramatic win that has already etched its place in Finals lore.
