Tyrese Haliburton had a historic performance with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds, without committing a single turnover, in Indiana Pacers’ victory by 130 to 121 on the New York Knicks, on Tuesday night (27), by the East Conference finals in Indianapolis.
The shipowner hit five three balls and registered the second triple-double of his career in playoffs, commanding the way to the 3-1 advantage in the best of seven series. Pascal Siakam also stood out with 30 points, while Bennedict Mathurin left the bank to score 20. Aaron Nesmith contributed 16 points.
On the side of the, Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Og Anunoby added 22 points. Mikal Bridges scored 17, and Josh Hart ended with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Game 5 is scheduled for next Tuesday (3) in New York.
Confirmed by Rick Carlisle more than an hour before the match, Nesmith entered the court after recovering from a right ankle twist in the third quarter of game 3.
Myles Turner totaled 13 points before being excluded from absences. Indiana had good use in the throws (51.1%), with 13 balls every 32 attempts. Once again, the were superior in counterattacks: 22 to 9 in the game and 65 to 23 in the sum of the series.
The Knicks had a 46.3% utilization in the throws and converted 12 of 28 attempts of three. They dominated in the rebounds, with 44 to 33.
Indiana returned from the break with the first seven points of the second half, completing a race of 13 to 0 that gave the team the advantage of 76 to 64.
New York reacted and diminished the difference to 89 to 84 after two free bids of Brunson with 3min59 to the end of the third quarter. But Haliburton answered with a ball of three that expanded to 99 to 89, and the Pacers closed the period winning 102 to 91.
At the beginning of the last quarter, Siakam scored five points in a row and placed Indiana 111 to 96 ahead – the biggest advantage of the night. The Knicks still reacted, with seven consecutive points, and reduced the difference to 115 to 109 after an offensive rebound converted by Towns, 4min24 from the end.
Indiana, however, maintained control and secured the victory with a ball of three from Obi Toppin, which made 126 to 116 with 45 seconds on the clock.
Haliburton had already shone in the first half, with 20 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, leading the Pacers in the 69 to 64 advantage at the break. Brunson scored 16 points in the early stage for the Knicks.
