Pacers Shock Thunder with Last-Second Heroics in Game 1
Nobody expected Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals to be anything less than dramatic, and the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers delivered. The Paycom Center was electric on June 5, but it was Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton who stunned 18,000 fans into silence. Down by 15 points with just eight minutes on the clock, the Pacers pulled off a wild rally that left basketball fans talking. With the Thunder holding all the momentum, Haliburton’s ice-cold step-back jumper with 0.3 seconds left sent the Pacers’ bench sprawling onto the floor and Oklahoma City fans reeling from shock.
Haliburton wasn’t alone. Indiana’s bench came up big, eating into OKC’s lead with key defensive stops and clutch buckets. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked set to cruise to a home victory with his usual smooth scoring, but a fourth-quarter drought opened the door for Indiana. Fans online immediately drew parallels to classic Finals comebacks—the kind that define young careers and keep basketball unpredictable.
How to Watch and Stream the NBA Finals Free Online
Now, let’s get to what everyone’s asking: How can you actually watch this showdown without dropping cash on a cable package? The answer’s refreshingly simple. Game 1 and other Finals action are being streamed live for free on YouTube, making it as easy as clicking a link or opening the app. You don’t need to fiddle with sketchy sites or unreliable streams—and you get HD quality along with live chat options to join the real-time conversation with fans everywhere.
If you’re traveling or living outside of the U.S., though, you might suddenly hit a wall—geo-blocking. That’s where a VPN like ExpressVPN comes in handy. Just set your virtual location to the U.S., fire up YouTube, and you’re set. This trick works for sports fans worldwide and has become a staple for anyone looking to enjoy regional broadcasts from anywhere. A few clicks and you’re right back in the stands—or at least, it feels like it.
Watching the NBA Finals today isn’t just about sports—it’s a shared online experience. Social media lights up every quarter, game highlights hit TikTok and Twitter in seconds, and the best moments get replayed globally. Fans who can’t access traditional cable broadcasts aren’t shut out anymore, which makes this year’s Pacers-Thunder matchup accessible in a way past Finals never were.
Both teams bring a fast-paced, energetic style that’s made them fun to follow all year. The Thunder haven’t tasted championship glory since moving from Seattle, but this group feels different—youthful, bold, and hungry for a title. The Pacers were underdogs all postseason, but now they’re thriving under pressure, with Haliburton and company proving just how unpredictable basketball can be.
For anyone looking to catch every second, remember: all you need is YouTube and, for some, a reliable VPN. No stress, no cable bills, all the drama as it happens.
