The Indiana Pacers are three wins away from being crowned the 2025 NBA champions. For head coach Rick Carlisle, star guard Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers, three is the only number that matters. But for us, the audience, we need to look at some more numbers to make sense of what we’re watching. Because words can sometimes fail. Especially after the Pacers mounted yet another last-second miracle in Thursday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Here are the 10 most mind-boggling facts about the Pacers’ heroics in clutch moments this postseason:
- Tyrese Haliburton is shooting 13 of 15 (86.7%) this season on shots to tie or go-ahead in the final two minutes of games
That’s right, in the final 120 seconds of games this regular season and postseason combined, with an opportunity to tie or take the lead, Haliburton has missed only two of his 15 attempts from the floor, according to Stathead.com shot tracking. Six of those makes were 3-pointers. Actually, one of those was a 4-pointer at the buzzer against Milwaukee back in March. It was an impossible shot, soaring above Giannis Antetokounmpo’s outstretched arms.
When we account for the added value of the 3-point shot, Haliburton is effectively shooting 106.7% from the floor on these shots, which is also what we call “effective field goal percentage.”
He’s shooting so efficiently on these close-and-late shots that making 15 straight layups would be less effective.
Let’s frame this another way: against his peers.
To better understand how remarkable it is that Haliburton has shot 13 of 15 on these super clutch shots, consider that all players total are shooting 38% on these shots. Which makes sense because defenses are locked in on trying to make it extra difficult for shooters in these big moments.
Some really good players have had little success in these moments. Really good players like …
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 0 for 7 on such shots this season
Granted, the MVP hasn’t been trailing or tied in late-game situations much this season because the Thunder have often been too busy blowing out their opponents. But I can’t help but point out that, in a showdown of these two All-Star point guards, one player is 13 of 15 and the other hasn’t made a single shot in this scenario.
The most recent example was SGA’s missed midrange jumper at the end of Game 3 against Denver. He tried to take Christian Braun one-on-one and flung an off-balance 12-footer off the back iron. The game went into overtime. He missed six other opportunities this season, all coming in the regular season.
Most players, even All-Stars, miss these shots more often than not. In fact …
- The following group of current or former All-Stars has collectively missed all 25 such shots this season: Gilgeous-Alexander, Paul George, Zion Williamson, Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine
Stack them all together and they’ve collectively gone 0-of-TWENTY-FIVE.
The aforementioned Gilgeous-Alexander is still searching for his first made bucket of the season in this scenario, after seven tries. That’s a little better than 2021-22 All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins, who fired up eight errant shots without a make in Golden State and Miami this season. That’s the most for any player without a made field goal in this situation this season. Again, Haliburton has made — count ’em — 13 of these clutch shots.
Zach LaVine has also missed all four of his offerings. Paul George is 0 for 3. Zion Williamson has missed both of his shots, and Beal misfired on his only opportunity — a layup against Dallas in November. Six All-Stars, zero makes, 25 tries. That’s how good Haliburton has been.
What about just this postseason?
Well …
- Haliburton is shooting 6 of 7 on shots to tie or take the lead in the final 90 seconds this postseason
This one is courtesy of the great Keerthika Uthayakumar, who has been churning out bangers all season long.
She tells us that Hali’s six made buckets in these situations are the most such shots we’ve seen in any one postseason since 1997.
To drill this down even further, Haliburton has made more of these shots (six) than the Thunder, Timberwolves, Warriors, Cavs, Lakers, Clippers