Pacers secure victory in a thrilling comeback, as Tyrese Haliburton seals the deal with a decisive three-pointer against the Cavaliers.
Rewritten Article:
Tyrese Haliburton orchestrates a thrilling comeback for the Pacers, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in a pulsating Game 2 against the shorthanded Cavaliers. With just 1.1 seconds left on the clock, Haliburton drained a nail-biting 3-pointer, securing a 120-119 win for Indiana, and leaving Cleveland reeling.
The game witnessed a dramatic turn of events following Donovan Mitchell's two free throws, which extended Cleveland's lead to 119-112 with 57 seconds remaining. Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam quickly cut the deficit, setting up a nail-biting one-point contest. Andrew Nembhard then capitalized on a steal, stripping the ball from Max Strus, setting the stage for Haliburton's heroics.
After drawing a crucial foul with 12.4 seconds left, Haliburton made his first free throw to close the gap to just two points (119-117). He then demonstrated why he's trusted in crunch time, grabbing his own miss on the second free throw and dribbling beyond the arc before draining the game-winning 3-pointer.
"We got lucky," admitted Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, "but Ty hit another amazing shot to win the game. You don't see this very often, let alone twice in one week. Tyrese, he came through again. We're very fortunate."
Haliburton remained humble, acknowledging, "I'm at peace with my game. I understand that I'm trusted in these moments. It's a special feeling. I get paid a lot of money to play a kids game and I'm having a lot of fun doing it."
Mitchell showcased his All-Star prowess, amassing 48 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and four steals for the top-seeded Cavaliers. Despite their impressive performance, Cleveland found themselves in a precarious position, missing key players such as Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and De'Andre Hunter.
The loss marks the first time since 1996 that the Cavaliers have dropped the first two games of a series at home. Throughout their current playoff streak, they've managed to win only 7 out of 13 home games.
"We outplayed them for most of the game, but we ran out of gas," lamented Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson. "We couldn't separate ourselves. Every possession, they just upped their physicality."
Nesmith and Myles Turner each netted 23 points, while Haliburton contributed 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. Bennedict Mathurin added 19 points, Nembhard dished out 13 assists and grabbed seven rebounds, albeit committing eight turnovers.
Mitchell delivered an electrifying performance, scoring 12 points in each of the first, third, and fourth quarters, breaking his career highs in free throws made and attempted. Strus contributed 23 points, Jarrett Allen posted 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Sam Merrill chipped in 14 points off the bench.
Cleveland's power forward Mobley and Hunter were injured during Game 1, while Garland has been out since April 23 against the Heat. The Cavaliers will be hopeful to replicate their strong performances when the series resumes.
Tyrese Haliburton showcased his prowess in sports basketball, exhibiting his ability to perform under pressure in the NBA. His last-second 3-pointer secured a 120-119 win for the Pacers against the shorthanded Cavaliers, who were lead by Donovan Mitchell's 48 points. Despite the Cavaliers' impressive play throughout the game, they find themselves in a 0-2 hole due to the absences of key players. Haliburton, with his improbable shot, left Cleveland reeling and kept the momentum in the series for the Pacers, underlining his trustworthiness in crunch time.
