Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers was recently warned by the NBA for his celebratory actions following his game-winning 3-pointer in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to the Associated Press, Haliburton had anticipated a fine for his celebration, which resembled the popular “big balls” move, but instead received only a warning from the league office.
The pivotal moment came with just 1.1 seconds remaining on Tuesday night, as Haliburton drained a clutch shot to secure the Pacers’ 120-119 victory. His game-winner capped an 8-0 run that sealed the Pacers’ second straight road win in Cleveland, putting them up 2-0 in the series. This marks the first time since 1994 that Indiana has won the first two games of a playoff series on the road.
Haliburton finished the game with 19 points, 11 of which came in the final quarter. His performance has been crucial throughout the postseason, with this being the third consecutive game in which he delivered key fourth-quarter plays. The win was a dramatic turnaround, as the Pacers were trailing by seven points with just over a minute left.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 48 points, but the Cavaliers struggled to capitalize on his performance, particularly due to injuries to key players such as Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and De’Andre Hunter. Despite Mitchell’s efforts, the Cavaliers faltered in the closing moments, highlighted by turnovers from Max Strus and Mitchell, which allowed Indiana to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.
Along with Haliburton’s clutch shooting, Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith contributed 23 points each, and Bennedict Mathurin added 19 off the bench. The Pacers also enjoyed a strong offensive performance, shooting 51.8% from the field and out-rebounding the Cavaliers 11-7 on the offensive glass.
Game 3 of the series will take place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday night, with the Pacers hoping to push their lead to 3-0 and move one step closer to the Eastern Conference Finals.
