Game 5 resulted in a disappointing outcome for the Indiana Pacers, as a 109-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder sees them face a 3-2 deficit in the NBA Finals. While several aspects of the game contributed to such poor results, Tyrese Haliburton shared his thoughts on what played a major role during his postgame press conference. He said:
"We're going to watch the film here and get better. But 22 turnovers against a team like this is a recipe for disaster."
The Pacers are typically known for their ability to execute their schemes. Under head coach Rick Carlisle, Indiana became a well-oiled machine with Haliburton holding the reins.
Game 5 simply appears to be another addition to Indiana's list of uncharacteristic performances in this regard. 22 turnovers for the game imply a haphazard effort when it comes to retaining possession, an atypical look for this Indiana team.
Several players in the rotation were culpable for this. Although the ECF MVP, Pascal Siakam, had 28 points for the game and led Indiana's scoring effort, he was the primary culprit, racking up six turnovers on the night.
Meanwhile, Aaron Nesmith, who has routinely been a solid performer for the team, only had 14 points to go with five turnovers. Even Haliburton, who has averaged 1.3 turnovers per game this season, among the lowest in the league, had three for the game.
The uncanny display may be viewed as a one-off, but given the gravity of the situation, the team will need to be extremely stringent when it comes to doing away with such outliers. With marginal errors having an impact on losing games, the team will need to overcome this setback if it wishes to keep its title hopes alive.
Tyrese Haliburton Addresses His Injury Situation
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had a poor outing in Game 5. It is important to note, however, that this was very likely affected by an injury he sustained in the first quarter of the game.
Haliburton suffered an apparent calf injury and had to leave the game. Although he returned, it was evident that he wasn't playing at 100%, as addressed by Rick Carlisle as well.
Following the game, the guard shared his experience and thoughts on the situation moving forward. He said:
"I mean, it's the NBA Finals. I've worked my whole life to be here. I want to be out there to compete, help my teammates any way I can. I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to play here. If I can walk, then I want to play."
Pacers fans will breathe a sigh of relief as the star is likely to be available for the next game. With Game 6 becoming a must-win situation, the Pacers will need to rally together if they hope to fight another day.
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