Haliburton Makes History, Puts Pacers One Win from Finals
INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton came through when it counted, and this time his dad was there to watch.
With his father in a suite at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Haliburton turned in a historic performance: 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, and no turnovers. The Pacers beat the Knicks 130-121 in Game 4 and are now up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals, one win away from the NBA Finals.
Haliburton said he wanted to step up after taking the blame for the Game 3 loss. He set the tone early, helping Indiana put up 43 points in the first quarter. By the end of the night, he became the first player in playoff history to finish with at least 30 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and zero turnovers since the league started tracking that stat in 1978.
“I wanted to prove I could respond when my back’s against the wall, when our team’s back is against the wall,” he said.
Pascal Siakam added 30 points, and Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench with 20. The Pacers led by as much as 15 in the fourth, and Obi Toppin hit a clutch three-pointer in the final minute to close it out.
Mathurin gave the Pacers a lift.
“He’s a big part of why we won,” Siakam said. “He stayed ready and came out aggressive.”
John Haliburton hadn’t been at the past eight games after a courtside clash with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. He returned Tuesday, joining a crowd full of gold, former Pacers, and stars like Triple H, 50 Cent, John Mellencamp, and Jelly Roll. Haliburton also brought New York firefighter and Pacers fan Hans Perez to the game and gave him a signed jersey.
Game 5 is Thursday in New York.
Haliburton Makes History, Puts Pacers One Win from Finals was originally published on wibc.com
