Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers rolled into Rocket Arena on Tuesday night with a chance to close out the Cleveland Cavaliers. Up 3-1 in their second-round NBA Playoffs series, Haliburton was coming off a 31-point outing in a dominant Game 4 win.
The Cavaliers came out hot, building a 12-point lead by the end of the first quarter. But in the second and third quarters combined, the Pacers outscored Cleveland by 21, entering the fourth with a nine-point lead.
In the end, Indiana held off a strong performance from Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, who poured in 35 points along with nine rebounds and an assist. But it wasn’t enough, as the Pacers eliminated Cleveland with a 114-105 win.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0).
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0).
Ken Blaze
With 23.2 seconds left and the game all but over, Haliburton—who had a big night himself with 31 points, six rebounds, and eight assists—waved goodbye to Cleveland fans in bold fashion.
The TNT broadcast captured the moment for those watching at home to see.
Haliburton has faced his share of criticism over his five-year NBA career. Some fans have called him "overrated," pointing to his 17.5 points per game average and just two All-Star selections despite his star status.
But through this year’s playoffs—and last season’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals—Haliburton has delivered in the moments that matter most.
Now, he and the Pacers are headed back to the Eastern Conference Finals once again, where they’ll take on either the New York Knicks or the Boston Celtics. As for the Cavaliers, their season ends in disappointment after finishing with a 64–18 record and securing the No. 1 seed in the East.