TYRESE HALIBURTON sunk a dramatic buzzer beater in Game 1 of the NBA Finals – but fans in Fort Wayne almost missed it.
The Pacers beat the Thunder 111-110 in a nerve-shredding contest on Thursday night.
Tyrese Haliburton sunk a dramatic buzzer beater against the Thunder on Thursday night[/caption]
The moment was almost missed by fans watching ABC affiliate WPTA in Fort Wayne[/caption]
Coverage of the match cut off on WPTA with minutes left on the clock[/caption]
Haliburton scored the winning jumper with 0.3 seconds of the game remaining.
It was the first time in the contest the Pacers led on the scoreboard.
But some fans watching in Indiana’s second most populated city, Fort Wayne, almost missed it.
ABC affiliate WPTA cut away from the live broadcast for a news update with the Pacers down 110-107.
The promo ran for a full minute and included a segment on Pacers fans packing out local bars.
When the footage finally returned, Indiana had moved back to within one point.
And Haliburton did the rest just seconds later to secure Game 1.
“Eh, still a minute left. They made it back for good stuff,” laughed one fan on X.
“@ABC21WPTA you owe us an apology. I lost my mind and woke the baby up over this,” raged another.
“All time error,” gasped a third.
“I was watching the game on there,I couldn’t believe they did that,my mouth dropped open.I’m like,what are they doing? I was freaking out.”
The Pacers rallied from 15 points back to record the stunning win.
“As a group, we never think the game is over, ever,” Haliburton said.
“Honestly speaking, ever. I don’t know what you say about it, but I know that this group is a resilient group.
“And we don’t give up until it’s 0.0 on the clock.”
As a group, we never think the game is over, ever.
Tyrese Haliburton
The Pacers committed 24 turnovers, their most in this postseason.
“If you look at all the numbers, it’s not the recipe to win,” Haliburton continued.
“We can’t turn the ball over that much.
“We have to do a better job of being in gaps, rebounding, all over the floor.
“But come May and June, it doesn’t matter how you get them, just get them.”
