Tyrese haliburton Accepts Blame as knicks Rally too Beat Pacers

⁢ Updated May 27, 2025
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INDIANAPOLIS — After the Indiana Pacers‍ lost to the New York⁣ Knicks 106-100 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday, All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton shouldered the ‍blame for his team’s second-half ⁢offensive woes. The Pacers blew a 20-point first-half lead, missing an opportunity to take a 3-0⁤ lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Haliburton, despite posting 20 points,⁣ 7⁤ assists, and 3 steals in 37 minutes, felt his decision-making faltered. The Pacers, usually an efficient ⁤offensive team, shot just 44% from the field and ⁣a dismal 5-for-25 from 3-point range, scoring only⁢ 42 points in the⁢ second half. This marked a significant drop for a team that had been shooting 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc in⁤ the playoffs.

The⁣ Knicks outscored⁢ Indiana 20-18 in the⁣ fourth quarter, fueled by Karl-Anthony Towns’ dominant performance. Haliburton, forward Pascal Siakam, and ⁣coach ⁣Rick Carlisle all agreed that the⁤ Pacers strayed from their usual style of play, letting a crucial ⁢opportunity slip away. The⁢ Pacers’ offensive struggles are something they need to address.

“Just trying to get guys in the right ⁢positions,” Haliburton said. “I think down the stretch,⁢ a game like this comes down to‍ one or two possessions, so just⁢ trying⁤ to execute the right way,⁢ get ⁤guys in the right spots… I ⁣think a lot of ⁣our offensive struggles in the second half ⁤were due to me, so I got to be better there and I will be better in Game 4.”

Siakam, who scored 17‍ points after a ⁤39-point performance in Game 2, echoed this sentiment. “We got to stay playing our⁤ way,” Siakam said, “and we just didn’t.”

This isn’t the first time the⁢ Pacers have faced this situation in the playoffs. They were up 2-0 against the Cleveland cavaliers in the conference semifinals but lost Game 3 before recovering to win the series. ‍This ⁣time, Indiana initially seemed‍ poised for a blowout victory, especially with jalen Brunson and Towns facing foul trouble early in the game.

A turning point occured ⁤midway through the third quarter when Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith sprained his right ⁢ankle and left⁤ the⁤ game. At that time, Indiana led by 13 points. However, by the time Nesmith returned in the fourth quarter, the Knicks had surged back with a 32-18 run over 11 minutes.

“Yeah, it’s certainly a factor,” Carlisle said regarding Nesmith’s injury. He added that Nesmith was cleared to return after being re-taped⁣ and tested. Carlisle noted he would review the film to fully assess Nesmith’s movement and impact.

Despite the painful loss, the Pacers still hold‍ a⁣ 2-1 series lead. haliburton emphasized that the ⁣team will approach Game 4 with a different⁢ mentality.The Pacers’ offensive struggles are a key area ‍for improvement.

“we feel like offensively,we’ve had a great series thus far,” Haliburton said. ⁤”I would⁣ say that was our first real like bad half offensively, so we got to be better there… 100 points isn’t us, you know? So kudos to them, they⁣ did a ⁢good job, but ⁤there’s definitely areas that we can improve on.”

What’s next

The Pacers plan ‍to review⁢ film and ⁣make adjustments before Game 4 on Tuesday night, aiming to regain their offensive rhythm and maintain their series lead against the Knicks. The Pacers’ offensive struggles need to be addressed to ⁣secure a win.