Tyrese Haliburton didn’t stuff the stat sheet in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but he didn’t need to.
With 0.3 seconds left on the clock, the Indiana Pacers guard drilled the biggest shot of his life to lift his team over the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-110. The game-winner capped off a stunning comeback after Indiana trailed by 12 at halftime.
It was a moment that defined Haliburton’s rise from promising point guard to playoff hero. And while the Pacers’ locker room exploded in celebration, someone else was dancing out of the arena with just as much pride, his longtime girlfriend, Jade Jones.
Jones Reacts After Game 1 Thriller
Jade Jones, a former Iowa State cheerleader, didn’t wait long to share her excitement. Shortly after the final buzzer, she posted a celebratory message on her Instagram Story: “3 more!!!!” alongside a final score graphic. In another clip, Jones and a friend waved Pacers rally towels while skipping out of the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, soaking in the win.
Jade Jones has supported Haliburton since the 2020 draft. She moved with him to Indiana, where he became a two-time All-Star and 2024 assist leader. Now, he’s leading the Pacers just three wins away from their first NBA title.
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Social media lit up after his latest heroics. Polymarket Hoops highlighted his late-game poise, noting, “Tyrese Haliburton has not missed a go-ahead shot in the final 30 seconds this postseason.” Fans followed suit, calling out critics who once labeled him overrated. “Release the names of every player who called Tyrese Haliburton overrated,” one fan demanded. “They deserve to be publicly shamed.”
Tyrese Haliburton’s girlfriend celebrates his Game 1 heroics in Pacers’ comeback win to open NBA Finals https://t.co/MvtE9RPixI pic.twitter.com/kjLdehXeYo
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 6, 2025
Even national voices like Jim Rome joined in, writing, “Tyrese Haliburton being voted by his peers as the ‘most overrated player in the league’ is the WORST TAKE IN THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE.”
With each game, Haliburton isn’t just silencing doubters; he’s pulling in new believers. If the Pacers keep this up, he might not just win a ring, but he might claim the spotlight that’s been chasing him all postseason.
Also Read: Tyrese Haliburton Reveals The “Secret Sauce” Behind Pacers’ Stunning Playoff Surge
