The Indiana Pacers may be a team in the truest sense—but Tuesday’s win over the New York Knicks was guard Tyrese Haliburton’s show.
Haliburton dazzled as the Pacers downed the Knicks 130–121 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, moving within one win of their first Eastern Conference title since 2000. In the process, the two-time All-Star carved out a slice of history.
Haliburton’s otherworldly statline of 32 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists was just the fourth of its kind in NBA history—joining Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson twice. On top of that, Haliburton became the first player to score 30 points and give out 15 assists in a playoff game without turning the ball over.
Haliburton and forward Pascal Siakam combined to attempt 44 field goals—exactly half of Indiana’s 88. Siakam, for his part, added 30 points while forward Bennedict Mathurin contributed 20 off the bench.
The Pacers haven’t won a championship since 1973 in the ABA—but it’s long past time for their fans to start dreaming.
