As the final minutes ticked away in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 123-107 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the broadcast panned to a forlorn Tyrese Haliburton sitting on the bench. The Game 1 hero could do nothing but sit and watch as the Thunder tied the series at 1-1.

The difference on the final scoreboard was one point, and the difference on this first installment of the Finals MVP Ladder is one spot, separating the player who made the shot and the one who missed — Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Haliburton, despite leading all scorers for the Pacers with 17 points, had a rather forgettable game. He recorded five turnovers in the game today, which was unlike his usual performance. However, this limp will be a much bigger concern for the Pacers if it in any way impacts his performance and availability for Game 3.