The Indiana Pacers wasted a hard-fought victory in Game 3 of their playoff series against the Miami Heat. In doing so, they missed a significant opportunity. Tyrese Haliburton, the team’s standout guard, took personal responsibility for the Pacers’ offensive struggles in the second half. The team came into the game full of optimism and high expectations. They were known for their high shooting efficiencies, with 50% from the field and a blistering 40% from three in the postseason. They ended up wrapping Game 3 with a woeful 44% shooting half with a pathetic 5-for-25 from deep.
The Pacers came out on fire, opening the game with a 20-point first half advantage. Their effectiveness sagged in the second half as they were able to muster just 42 second half points. Haliburton saw the cracks in the squad. He underscored the fact that this is not a team built to put up 100 points a night.
“We feel like offensively, we’ve had a great series thus far,” Haliburton stated. In 37 minutes of play he scored 20 points, distributed 7 assists and made 3 steals. Still, he understood that the team was capable of performing at a higher level.
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“quote”: “I would say that was our first real like bad half offensively, so we got to be better there. And then defensively, you hold a team like that to 106, that’s — you should win that game. So we gotta, I mean, 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.”
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Aaron Nesmith left with a sprained right ankle midway through the third quarter. The ensuing injury sent him out of the game, amplifying the team’s woes. His absence may have exacerbated the Pacers’ struggles as they attempted to maintain their lead without one of their key contributors.
After the game, Haliburton said he feels responsible for the team’s success or failures. “I’m already thinking about it, kicking myself for it… I think that’s just part of it and I got to be better there. I take full responsibility for our offense faltering in the second half due in a big, big way to me. Well, clearly, I’m focused on making continuous improvement, so I’ll do a better job in Game 4.
In post-game comments, Coach Rick Carlisle praised Haliburton’s desire to improve. He emphasized the importance of reviewing their performance in preparation for the next game: “We’ll have a great film session [Monday]. Guys will watch film on their own tonight and tomorrow and see where we can get better. There’s one day in between games, so it is what it is. You watch film, then you just flush it and get ready for Game 4.”
Pascal Siakam added his voice to the chorus of players who talked about the team’s need to remember who they are on the court. We were able to remain true to our style of play,” he told us after the game.
Right now, the Pacers are kicking themselves for missing out on this opportunity. They are intent on dusting themselves off and addressing their offensive shortcomings ahead of Game 4. They now face a potential series-evening opportunity. To take advantage of this opportunity, they need to harness their past achievements and implement their playbook exactly as planned.
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