Haliburton, considered overrated by some of his peers, came up big again in Game 1 when his jumper with 0.3 seconds left gave Indiana a 111-110 victory over the heavily favored Thunder.

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.

“He’s just a great player and has showed up for us since he’s gotten here,” said Haliburton’s backup, T.J. McConnell, “but has really taken (it) to another level in these playoffs, especially toward the end of the game. He’s just an incredible player who loves having the ball in his hands in those moments and has continued to show up.”