Haliburton returns single digits in Pacers 111-94 defeat by Knicks
The Indiana Pacers failed in their first attempt to earn the second NBA Finals trip in franchise history, falling 111-94 to the New York Knicks in Game 5.
Tyrese Haliburton followed his historic triple-double by getting held to single digits in everything.
Following the passive performance from their playmaker on Thursday night, the Pacers will need Haliburton to be much closer to the player who dominated Game 4 than the one who managed only two baskets in Game 5 when they try again at home Saturday.
'Rough night for me,' Haliburton said.
Haliburton had 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds and no turnovers in Game 4, the first 30-15-10 in the postseason since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78.
But he was limited to eight points, six assists and two rebounds Thursday. The All-NBA point guard didn't even have a basket in the first half, when the Pacers' total of 45 points was just two more than they had in the first quarter of Game 4.
'I've got to be better setting the tone, getting downhill. I feel like I didn't do a great job of that but I'll watch the film,' Haliburton said. 'There were some different things they did defensively, but for the most part their base stuff was the same. They picked up the pressure a little bit more, tried to apply more as the game went on. But I've got to be better and I will be better in Game 6.'
The Knicks cut down on some of the mistakes they made in Game 4 that allowed Haliburton and the Pacers to get their transition game going. And they were much sharper in the halfcourt, rarely letting him penetrate into the lane to set up opportunities for himself or his teammates.
'It's probably a combination of him missing some shots he normally makes, but I thought our guys were tied together and trying to make him work for everything and that's what you have to do,' Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
The Pacers were held to their lowest point total of the postseason and shot just 40.5% from the field. Haliburton wasn't the only one who struggled, with Aaron Nesmith going just 1 for 8 on the same court on which he had a postseason career-high 30 points, to prompt Indiana's comeback in Game 1.
Pascal Siakam, who had his postseason career high of 39 in Game 2, was limited to 15 – and that made him the only Indiana starter in double figures.
'We weren't great as a group,' Haliburton said.
'We turned the ball over too much, didn't rebound to our ability (like) we have shown this series. When you (don't) do those two things against these guys in a game that comes down to so many possessions, it's tough. So, we've got to be better as a group. I think our pace has to be better and that starts with me. I've got to be better there. '
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