“Not pretend like the refs are the reason” - Tyrese Haliburton shuts down officiating narratives for blowing out must-win game
The Indiana Pacers, led by Tyrese Haliburton, visited New York on Wednesday for Game 2 of the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. The Knicks, who took Game 1, 121-117 by excelling in the finer details and navigating a peculiar finish, were looking to maintain their momentum.
Pacers' star Tyrese Haliburton was quick to dismiss any speculation that officiating was to blame for their crucial 130-121 loss in Game 2:
"They outplayed us," Haliburton said. "Let's not pretend like the refs are the reason we lost. We just got to be better."
The New York Knicks took 22 free throws, making 18, while the Pacers took 17 attempts, making a subpar 10 from the line. Notably, the Knicks held an 81.8% to 58.8% advantage.
The Pacers committed 17 personal fouls, while the Knicks held an advantage here, with 14. Adding validity to Haliburton's outright dismissal of the officiating holding an unfair advantage.
Tyrese Haliburton improves in Game 2, but Indiana Pacers fail in the clutch
With Jalen Brunson temporarily sidelined, the visiting Pacers continued to press forward. Their passing was exceptional, particularly from T.J. McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton, and their 3-point shooting was highly effective. Haliburton hit a 3-pointer with 3:03 remaining until halftime, putting the Pacers ahead by 10. This prompted a timeout by New York.
Indiana's offense remained hot as they consistently attacked the basket and created quality shots throughout the latter part of the first half. Their lead hovered around 10 points for much of that time, and they maintained their aggressive approach.
By halftime, the Pacers held a 73-63 advantage. Tyrese Haliburton led the team with 22 points and five assists. Their proficiency from beyond the arc was crucial in the first half; while the Knicks shot over 58.0% from the field through two quarters, the Pacers maintained a double-digit lead.
However, every time the Pacers narrowed the gap to a single possession, the Knicks responded with a significant shot that energized the crowd. This pattern continued with approximately four minutes remaining when Donte DiVincenzo sank a 3-pointer to extend New York's lead to five.
Their advantage grew to seven with about 3.5 minutes left. Time was running out for the Pacers to mount a comeback, and they were finding it difficult to secure the necessary stops. Their defensive performance was lacking in the fourth quarter of Game 1 and appeared similarly inadequate in the second half of Game 2.
The Pacers managed to force two missed shots, yet the Knicks secured two offensive rebounds. With 53 seconds remaining and the lead in hand, the hosts scored during that possession to extend their lead to eight points, effectively sealing the Pacers' fate. The game ended 130-121 in favor of the home team.
With a 2-0 lead in hand, the Knicks travel to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday for Game 3 of the series, where Tyrese Haliburton and Co. will look to claw their way back into the series on home court.