His latest heroics came Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, when he gave the Indiana Pacers their first lead of the game with just .3 seconds to go. His 21-foot jumper held up as the winner as the Pacers stole Game 1 in Oklahoma City, 111-110.
Haliburton now has four game-winners in these playoffs, one in every round. Here’s a look at each of his clutch plays to date, in reverse chronological order:
Game 1 vs. Thunder (NBA Finals)
Haliburton probed, drove right and pulled up to splash home the winning shot in the final second, completing the Pacers’ stunning comeback in the Finals opener. Oklahoma City, the league’s best team this season, led at home by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Game 1 vs. Knicks (Eastern Conference finals)
Haliburton’s foot proved to be on the line after review, but he still forced overtime with a big shot against the New York Knicks. While his Reggie Miller-inspired choke celebration was perhaps a tad premature, the Pacers did win the game 138-135 in OT and then won Game 2 to steal the first two contests at Madison Square Garden.
Game 2 vs. Cavaliers (Eastern Conference second round)
Haliburton’s step-back 3-pointer completed the Indiana comeback and put Cleveland, the Eastern Conference’s best team in the regular season, in a 2-0 series hole.
Game 5 vs. Bucks (Eastern Conference first round)
What happened after the game — namely Giannis Antetokounmpo’s confrontation with Haliburton’s dad — overshadowed what Haliburton did on the court: Which was driving past Antetokounmpo to hit the series-sealing layup in overtime.
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