Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder already had the makings of a classic.
But nobody expected this—a last-second game-winner and a hilarious voice moment from Tyrese Haliburton that had fans doing double takes.
Haliburton’s Buzzer-Beater Stuns Oklahoma City
With just 0.3 seconds left on the clock and the Pacers trailing the entire game, Tyrese Haliburton stepped up and nailed a smooth 21-foot pull-up jumper that gave Indiana a dramatic 111-110 victory.
It was the kind of ending that turns playoff games into instant legends.
The Pacers had never led until that exact moment.
Haliburton, already a breakout star of this postseason, added another highlight to his growing reel—and this one might be the most iconic yet.
The Voice Heard Around the League
But the drama didn’t end with the buzzer. Moments later, as Haliburton was giving his postgame interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, fans started buzzing about something totally unexpected—his voice.
In the middle of explaining the Pacers’ journey and how they’ve won in all kinds of wild ways, Haliburton’s voice suddenly shifted in pitch.
It wasn’t subtle either—people online immediately caught on.
One fan posted the clip on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Tyrese Haliburton with the voice-change in the middle of his interview on national TV.”
Another said, “More than his clutch gene, this fascinates me to no end.”
Not the First Time His Voice Has Done That
Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Haliburton’s voice has made headlines.
Back in 2024, during an appearance on Pat McAfee’s show, the same thing happened.
“You have two different voices,” McAfee joked. “I thought it was our microphones!”
Haliburton laughed it off and replied, “People say that all the time! I never catch it but I watch podcasts and I’m like, ‘Damn, my voice changed.’ I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Safe to say, his voice is now officially part of his brand.
A Humble Clapback to ESPN’s Van Pelt
The interview kept the laughs coming. Van Pelt admitted to Haliburton that he had been “late to the party” when it came to recognizing how good the Pacers really are.
Haliburton grinned, shook his hand, and replied, “Yeah, you’re a real one for that.
I heard that, you’re a real one. A lot of your counterparts won’t admit that now.”
To which Van Pelt replied, “Now I am going to give myself wiggle room.
You guys were under .500 at Christmas, am I right?”
Haliburton laughed and nodded, “We were, we were rough.
For sure. We were late to the party too.”
Next Up: Game 2 on Sunday Night
Haliburton finished Game 1 with 14 points, but more importantly, with a defining clutch moment and a viral voice clip that fans won’t forget anytime soon.
The Pacers will try to ride that momentum into Game 2 against OKC this Sunday night.
With their confidence growing—and their superstar both balling out and going viral—the Pacers are proving they belong on the biggest stage.