Tyrese Haliburton triple-double keys Pacers’ Game 4 win vs. Knicks

INDIANAPOLIS — Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton blamed himself after Indiana allowed a double-digit lead within the second half of Recreation 3 to slide away and vowed to be extra aggressive getting into Recreation 4.

From the opening tip Tuesday night time, Haliburton was masterful. He recorded a historic triple-double — 32 factors, 15 assists and 12 rebounds, with out committing a turnover — to guide the Pacers to a 130-121 victory that gave them a commanding 3-1 lead within the Jap Convention finals.

Haliburton grew to become the primary participant in playoff historical past to place up at the least 30 factors, 15 assists and 10 rebounds with out a turnover since turnovers had been first tracked in 1977-78, in line with ESPN Analysis, and in doing so helped the Pacers transfer to inside one win of the NBA Finals.

“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Haliburton mentioned. “Just trying to play my best. I felt like I let the team down in Game 3. I could have been so much better. I felt like I responded the right way today.”

Recreation 5 is Thursday night time in New York.

Haliburton placed on a present on the identical night time his father, John, was again in attendance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the primary time because the opening spherical. He was absent from the earlier eight playoff video games after an on-court incident with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the conclusion of that first-round sequence. The Pacers allowed John Haliburton to return for Recreation 4 and sit in a collection.

Haliburton acknowledged he was glad to have his father in attendance, however he was extra happy with the best way each he and the Pacers responded after dropping Sunday.

“I just want to be able to prove that I can respond when my back’s against the wall, when our team’s back is against the wall,” he mentioned. “This is a big win for us because if we go back down there 2-2, it’s a little different momentum-wise.”

Along with Haliburton’s father, the Pacers introduced out a plethora of former stars for the sport, together with Jermaine O’Neal, George Hill and Lance Stephenson, in addition to celebrities resembling WWE Corridor of Famer Triple H, rapper 50 Cent and singers John Mellencamp and Jelly Roll to offset the same old crew of Knicks celeb followers; movie director Spike Lee and actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller all made the journey to Indianapolis.

Haliburton and the Pacers set the tone from the beginning. Pascal Siakam scored 30 factors, and Bennedict Mathurin, who had seen his minutes lower within the first three video games of this sequence, broke out for 20 factors off the bench. Total, Indiana shot 51.1% from the sector and 40.6% on 3-pointers.

“Just getting back to us,” Pacers ahead Aaron Nesmith mentioned. “Playing our game and doing what we do best. Pushing the pace.”

And Haliburton was the important thing to all of it. Along with his scoring, the Pacers had 33 factors on 14-of-22 (63.6%) capturing from Haliburton’s passes. He managed to do all of it with out a turnover, one thing he mentioned he prides himself on contemplating he works on all of it season.

“It’s pretty remarkable, but this has become his thing,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned. “There will be a new statistical category, perhaps, named after him somewhere down the line.

“Him and Chris Paul, these guys, there aren’t a variety of guys. I do know [John] Stockton did not flip it over a lot again when he performed, LeBron James did not flip it over very a lot. You may go proper down the road, among the all-time greats. And so I do know he takes nice delight in it and that is a motivating issue.”