Tyrese Haliburton delivered a game-winning three-pointer after securing his personal missed free throw, finishing the Indiana Pacers’ exceptional 20-point comeback to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-119 on Wednesday evening. The victory provides Indiana a commanding 2-0 lead within the Japanese Convention semifinals.
“It is a particular feeling, man. It is a variety of enjoyable,” Haliburton mentioned after the sport. “Any basketball fan, or anyone who’s concerned in basketball in any respect… has imagined being a child, being within the driveway, being in the lounge, time winding down of their head, taking pictures it, lacking, and placing extra time on the clock. I am simply having enjoyable on the market. And successful is enjoyable.”
The dramatic end got here after the Pacers erased Cleveland’s seven-point lead with lower than 50 seconds remaining in regulation. Teammate Myles Turner summed up Haliburton’s heroics merely: “Fairly frankly, that boy chilly, man.”
Haliburton was fouled with simply 12.1 seconds left on the clock. After making his first free throw, he missed the second however alertly grabbed the rebound himself.
“It is humorous the way it works out typically,” mentioned Haliburton, who scored 11 of his 19 factors within the essential fourth quarter. “The ball got here off. I jumped to seize it. I used to be going to shoot the floater proper there. I type of was wanting round, however I simply needed to get out to the highest.”
The Pacers’ teaching employees opted to not name a timeout following Haliburton’s rebound, permitting him to create house past the arc.
“After which I simply noticed me and Ty Jerome on the high of the important thing,” Haliburton defined. “I had house, and I simply tried to make a play. I felt comfy there. And, you realize, simply knocked it down.”
Following his clutch shot, Haliburton celebrated with Sam Cassell’s well-known “massive balls” dance, acknowledging he’ll probably face a wonderful for the gesture.
“I have been ready for that, man; it was good within the second,” Haliburton admitted. “I will gladly take that wonderful.”
The Pacers now head again to Indiana with momentum and a two-game benefit within the best-of-seven sequence.
