Haliburton downplays injury concerns prior to Thunder matchup
Tyrese Haliburton, limping down the court after a tough loss against the Thunder in Game 2, brushed off injury concerns on Tuesday. The Indiana Pacers guard maintains his fitness is just fine and he's ready to rock for Game 3.
"Ain't nothin' wrong with me, just a bum lower leg," Haliburton explained to the media. "Nothing to elaborate on that, just moving forward."
Despite a rough performance against the Oklahoma City defense, Haliburton's peerless spirit remains unbroken. Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed his ace point guard was dealing with some discomfort but as the season reaches its finale, who isn't?
"Honestly, I don't think anyone's feeling perfect at this point," Carlisle remarked. "He practiced hard, went through everything. He's got some discomfort but each day it's improving."
Staying true to the Pacers' ethos, Carlisle echoed that even a few under-the-weather players wouldn't deter from playing in the remaining games of the series.
"Hey, these guys ain't gonna miss a beat. They'll be out there playing their hearts out," he affirmed.
As the Pacers prepare for the crucial Game 3, Carlisle is focused on fine-tuning the game plan to deliver a consistent performance. The team struggled to maintain their footing in the first two games, with the scoreboard reflecting six losses in eight quarters.
"To put it plainly, we've lost a lot of quarters, man. We're battling a great team here, so we've got to up our game," Carlisle admitted.
The series so far has seen the Pacers play from behind, with their lone win coming in Game 1 thanks to Haliburton's game-winning shot. Now, they've got to change that narrative.
"It's not about the past, bro. Last-second win in Game 1? Great. Game 2 loss, blowout? We learn from it and move on," Carlisle emphasized.
As for the team's strategy going forward, the focus lies on disrupting Oklahoma City's offense, keeping possession of the ball, and snagging rebounds. According to the Pacers' ace, Pascal Siakam, these three elements are the key to regaining momentum.
"We need to secure stops. When you've got stops, it's all about transition. That's our game," Siakam highlighted. "We gotta rebound, too. No rebounds, no transition ball. We're all about running, man. If we ain't getting stops or rebounds, it's gonna be tough to run."
With Haliburton leading the charge and the rest of the team ready to roll, the Pacers are all set to shake things up in Game 3. Time to show the Thunder who's boss.
"India, being a basketball-loving nation, might take interest in Tyrese Haliburton's resilience, given his injury issues, as he plays for the NBA's Indiana Pacers," one potential sentence could be.
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