Tyrese Haliburton’s OT winner, Pacers’ ball movement decides ugly Game 3 vs. Bucks

INDIANAPOLIS — About 90 minutes earlier than Tyrese Haliburton lifted the Pacers to victory, he had a request to make.

The Pacers All-Star guard was taking the ground for his pregame warmup however as he scanned Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with sunshine yellow shirts adorning each seat in the home, one thing was throwing him off.

It had been over 5 years since Indiana final hosted a playoff recreation — heart Myles Turner was the one participant to play within the 2019 sequence towards the Boston Celtics. Haliburton was nonetheless a freshman at Iowa State. This was Haliburton’s dwelling postseason debut and the Pacers had a fantastic alternative to take management of the sequence with the Milwaukee Bucks, so setting the tone was essential.

To do this, Haliburton wanted to listen to music. Two particular songs to assist get him within the zone.

Haliburton left the gathering of trainers and ball boys across the basket and headed to the southwest nook of the courtroom the place DJ BandCamp, the Pacers in-arena DJ, was establishing his tools.

“This is gonna sound crazy,” Haliburton instructed Bandcamp, “But I want you to play ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield.

“And ‘Heard it All Before’ (by Sunshine Anderson).”

The DJ smiled and checked to see if Haliburton was joking. He wasn’t.

“I got you!” Bandcamp responded, eagerly placing the ending touches at his desk.

It was a easy ask. It’s widespread for NBA stars to have curated pregame playlists that growth within the enviornment audio system and Haliburton’s musical style —a mix of hip-hop, pop and R&B classics — is wide-ranging. Haliburton was in his atmosphere, he was dwelling.

And at dwelling, the Pacers do two issues: belief in Haliburton, who completed along with his first profession playoff triple-double: 18 factors, 16 assists and 10 rebounds and belief in one another, a byproduct of ball movement.

(*3*) was an ugly 48 minutes of basketball. What started as a dash shortly slowed to a slugfest that includes 107 missed photographs and 46 fouls. But the Pacers got here away with a 2-1 lead of their best-of-seven sequence.

Give credit score to the Bucks, who, led by head coach Doc Rivers, have efficiently plugged up the Pacers’ most well-liked fashion of play, decreasing transition alternatives and throwing totally different defensive schemes at Indiana. On Friday night time, the Bucks erased a 19-point lead. In Game 1, Milwaukee pressured Haliburton; in Game 3, Pascal Siakam was the goal. Siakam completed with 17 factors on 17 photographs. Had the ultimate 5 minutes of time beyond regulation gone in another way, the Bucks would have stolen a vital street playoff recreation. Rivers has caught appreciable flak up to now for his lack of changes however the Bucks have put up a valiant effort with out Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Pacers have needed to counter what the Bucks have offered defensively, regardless of having confronted them a number of occasions already this season. Indiana responded to Haliburton being pressured off the ball by inserting Siakam on the identical aspect of the ball, furthering Haliburton’s runway past the 3-point line. This saved Myles Turner concerned in screening actions and looking for benefits within the few transition alternatives they bought.

This is the eighth assembly between the 2 groups and thru three playoff video games — and it’s clear there’s a mutual disdain.

“We’ve got to look at ways to counter the things they’re doing and vice versa,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned. “It’s going to keep going like that — back and forth, back and forth.”

 The Pacers have the sequence lead as a result of they’re sticking to their largest precept — ball movement. 

“The ball movement is very important,” Carlisle mentioned. “We’ve got to remind ourselves to play with pace and move it.”

During the common season, the Pacers established themselves because the league’s finest passing workforce, averaging 308.3 passes per recreation and 30.8 assists per recreation, first in each classes. Through three playoff video games, Indiana ranks close to the highest of each passing statistic regardless of a slowed-down recreation. The Pacers are first in assists (29.0), secondary assists (5.5) and potential assists (51.5). You might argue the Bucks’ neutralizing tempo has solely intensified the significance of ball movement. In Game 2, Indiana recorded 38 assists on 50 made photographs. On Friday, the Pacers completed with 32 assists on 42 made area targets. And Haliburton, tasked with the majority of creation has been a gradual hand all through their postseason foray, aiding on 12 and 16 photographs over the past two video games. Ball movement is huge a part of Pacers tradition. 

“In Game 1, we had a little segment on ‘one more,’ just being better at making the extra pass,” Haliburton mentioned. “We’ve done a great job with these last two games getting guys open shots. When the ball is moving, everyone is touching it, getting open shots, the energy is just right — even if you’re not making them. I like to say the energy you put in the ball is important. I think every basketball player in the world can learn from that.” 

The first offensive play a workforce runs in a recreation is usually what they’ve labored on, or to see what the opposition plans to do. Haliburton has dealt with the ball for sufficient possessions to know he can’t simply open the set with a excessive display — or he’ll get blitzed. Andrew Nembhard and Siakam on the weak aspect will feign a double drag to carry Turner from the nook and circulation right into a dribble handoff. Patrick Beverley is chasing whereas Brook Lopez hangs again in drop protection. Once the ball begins to maneuver, Haliburton can relocate to the place he desires to function (prime of the important thing), understanding Lopez doesn’t need to defend the 3-point line. Haliburton attracts in stress and finds an open Turner.

Haliburton’s game-winner isn’t made doable with out a deep belief in his teammates, particularly with a back-and-forth contest within the steadiness. The Bucks are defending this late possession below the belief the Pacers are going empty wing pick-and-roll with their two finest gamers. Beverley has a sense Haliburton will try to reject the display and decides to dam off his proper, forcing him left.

But watch Nembhard instruct Nesmith to fill the sturdy aspect nook. Milwaukee makes use of Bobby Portis and Beverley to crowd Haliburton, as they’ve completed all sequence lengthy and get a desired end result in him giving up the ball. The ball finds Siakam who will get it again to Haliburton, flows right into a ball display and instantly slips towards the basket. Middleton and Damian Lillard, the low man, slide in to contest, considering Siakam will try a troublesome shot however he finds Nesmith within the nook. Before this possession, Nesmith had missed all six of his 3s, however that doesn’t deter his teammates from discovering him in good place.

So once you see Haliburton with the ball in time beyond regulation, once you hear the emotion from his teammates and the Pacers followers within the stands able to erupt, it’s a fruits of tradition and belief. Haliburton was 7-of-21 from the sector and 1-for-12 earlier than taking the ultimate shot.

“Just knew I was shooting it, no matter what,” Haliburton mentioned. “Didn’t know what I was going to get to, just based off of feel out there. .. Finally made a shot. I couldn’t buy a bucket today. Glad that one went in.”

Tyrese Haliburton on dissecting Milwaukee’s defensive setup in actual time, resulting in his game-winning working floater in OT. pic.twitter.com/qz6Eesh1ue

— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) April 27, 2024

Notes

• Eric Nehm and I’ll get into this earlier than Game 4, however the Pacers have their work lower out for them. Middleton was clean and bought no matter he needed within the half courtroom. Nesmith did all he might, was bodily all night time and Middleton nonetheless completed with 42 factors on 16-for-29 taking pictures. Offensively, they’ll additionally want to determine methods to assault zone like they have been capable of in Game 2. I’d think about fewer Jalen Smith minutes.

• Indiana’s 19 offensive rebounds are big and turned the tide of the sport, giving the Pacers repeated cracks on the apple. And it was their guards accountable for the majority of their success on that finish of the ground.

• Turner, who completed with 29 factors on 10-of-21 taking pictures is a recipient of the defensive coverages Milwaukee is making use of and is the X-factor on this sequence, particularly when Siakam struggles and Haliburton isn’t tremendous aggressive. His two-way work has been a shiny spot and his mentality, admitting he let his ego go “a long time ago,” is even brighter.

(Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski/USA Today)