Saturday, June 7, 2025
Home Basketball Local TV station forced to issue apology for cutting away from Indiana's...

Local TV station forced to issue apology for cutting away from Indiana’s comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals 

On Friday, local Indiana TV station WPTA was forced to issue an apology for cutting away from the Pacers’ comeback win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The ABC affiliate in Indiana cut away from the game in the final minute, airing a teaser for their newscast instead. This almost cost fans the chance to witness Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winner over the OKC Thunder.

WPTA’s vice-president, Chris Fedele, issued an apology to fans via The Athletic as he explained the reason behind the sudden interruption. Claiming it to be a “technical issue,” Fedele expressed an apology:

“We sincerely apologize for the brief interruption during the NBA game broadcast. A technical issue in our master control inadvertently triggered the start of our 11:00 PM newscast. The issue was resolved within 24 seconds, and viewers were able to see Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning shot.

The incident occurred during the final minute of Game 1, as Pascal Siakam blocked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's layup. As the Indiana team dribbled the ball up the court, the TV station inadvertently cut away to its 11:00 p.m. Fort Wayne news tease, bewildering fans.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

Although realizing their mistake and returning to the broadcast in under 30 seconds, the Pacers had cut their deficit to one point. Despite the grievous mistake, Indiana fans were able to witness Haliburton's last-second game-winner, which earned the Pacers a 111-110 win.

Haliburton and Co. trailed the Thunder all game and seemed headed for a Game 1 loss, but his last-second shot gave them their first lead on the night and a stunning win at Paycom Center.

Indiana Pacers become first team since 1971 to achieve rare feat in NBA Finals

The Indiana Pacers have made comeback wins a trademark this postseason, overcoming double-digit deficits in every series. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, they repeated this feat, becoming the first team since 1971 to win after trailing by 9+ points in the final three minutes.

The Pacers' X/Twitter account highlighted this rare feat as they continue to rewrite history:

"Entering tonight, teams were 0-182 when trailing by 9+ points in the final 3 minutes of an NBA Finals game since 1971. It's 1-182 after tonight."

Game 2 of the Finals between the Pacers and Thunder takes place at Paycom Center on Sunday.

Can Haliburton help his team to a 2-0 lead in the series before heading to Indiana, or will "SGA" and Co. even the series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Pacers Fan? Check out the latest Indiana Pacers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Quick Links

Edited by Veer Badani
RELATED ARTICLES

“His fav pg cooked him 1v1”: Fans revisit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s high praise for Andrew Nembhard after Pacers go up 1-0 in NBA Finals 

Andrew Nembhard and Indiana Pacers completed a 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Nembhard led the way for Indiana, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter to give Tyrese Haliburton a chance to make the game-winning jumper. He made it, and the Pacers escaped Game 1 with a

Pacers vs Thunder NBA Finals 2025 opener draws worst TV ratings in over 3 decades despite red hot playoffs action: Report

On Thursday, the Pacers and the Thunder put on a thrilling show in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Indiana, the comeback kids of the 2025 playoffs, rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the No. 1 seeded team in the playoffs. Tyrese Haliburton nailed a 21-foot jump shot to drag Indiana to a

“Lookin’ game ready”: Michael Jordan’s son Marcus Jordan gives Luka Doncic shoutout for repping his upscale boutique

Marcus Jordan, the polarizing son of NBA icon Michael Jordan, gave a nod to Lakers star Luka Doncic for rocking apparel from his Trophy Room boutique. An Instagram fan account for Kevin Durant, @DURANT, shared a highlight reel of Doncic during his first offseason with the Lakers, noting his noticeably slimmer physique. Among the photos

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Coco Gauff thanks God, breaks down in tears thinking about past struggles after French Open triumph

Coco Gauff gave her first thanks to God after winning the 2025 French Open, a moment marked by tears of joy from the American. The win at Roland Garros gave Gauff the second Grand Slam title of her career, and first in Paris. On Saturday, the World No. 2 took on Aryna Sabalenka, who was

WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka breaks down in tears as she apologizes for ‘terrible’ display in French Open final loss to Coco Gauff

Aryna Sabalenka couldn't contain her emotions after her devastating loss to Coco Gauff in the 2025 French Open final. The World No. 1 broke down in tears as she took the stage during the trophy presentation. Ad Looking to win her maiden French Open title, Sabalenka made a strong start to the blockbuster contest by

“His fav pg cooked him 1v1”: Fans revisit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s high praise for Andrew Nembhard after Pacers go up 1-0 in NBA Finals 

Andrew Nembhard and Indiana Pacers completed a 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Nembhard led the way for Indiana, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter to give Tyrese Haliburton a chance to make the game-winning jumper. He made it, and the Pacers escaped Game 1 with a

Pacers vs Thunder NBA Finals 2025 opener draws worst TV ratings in over 3 decades despite red hot playoffs action: Report

On Thursday, the Pacers and the Thunder put on a thrilling show in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Indiana, the comeback kids of the 2025 playoffs, rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the No. 1 seeded team in the playoffs. Tyrese Haliburton nailed a 21-foot jump shot to drag Indiana to a

Recent Comments