Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton forever became a part of NBA in-season tournament lore on Monday courtesy of his unbelievable clutch shooting in a huge 122–112 win over the Celtics.
The tournament’s anticipated inaugural quarterfinal game between Indiana and Boston came down to the wire, as Haliburton looked to make a play at the three-point line with the score tied at 105 and 1:33 left in regulation.
After watching Celtics star Jaylen Brown switch onto him in the pick-and-roll, Haliburton elevated and drilled a huge 27-foot shot while drawing the foul. The 23-year-old went on to convert the free throw to add to the momentum, making for a beautiful four-point play that sparked a game-closing 17–7 run.
FOUR-POINT PLAY 🥶
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 5, 2023
Tyrese Haliburton with a huge play down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/gTHEzWj6Sn
Haliburton’s heroics not only positioned Indiana for the knockout game victory but it also served as the perfect finishing touch to his flawless, first career triple-double (26 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds and zero turnovers).
With the Pacers now advancing, it’ll be fascinating to see what Haliburton does for an encore when his team takes the floor for the semifinals in Las Vegas on Thursday.