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When teams are eliminated from the NBA Playoffs, it’s become a running gag among fans and media to say they’ve been sent to Cancun, a popular vacation destination. Well the Indiana Pacers did just that in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers have been led by rising star Tyrese Haliburton who sealed their Game 3 win with a game-winner.
Following the Pacers Game 6 win to clinch the series against the Bucks, Haliburton had a stern warning for the rest of the NBA regarding the Pacers run in the NBA Playoffs as per Bally Sports Indiana.
“It’s amazing, I just love being here with the Pacers,” Haliburton said. “Everybody here is amazing to me and we’re not done yet. What did Geno [Smith] say? They wrote me off, I ain’t write back.”
Earlier in the season, it’s not hard to see why some might have written the Pacers off. Even with the addition of Pascal Siakam at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Pacers sort of underachieved. But they did manage to finish outside of the play-in positioning by securing the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
It’s a major accomplishment for a team that has not been out of the first round of the playoffs since the 2013-14 season. Although they were the lower seed, they came into this series with some proclaiming them as the favorites due to the absence of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Pacers fell behind in the series following Game 1, but had been in control since then. The Pacers grabbed Game 2 on the Bucks home floor and then won back to back games on their homecourt to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. They didn’t play well in Game 5 and allowed the Bucks to extend the series, but they finished the job in Game 6 at home.
Tyrese Haliburton is one of the NBA’s rising stars
When the Pacers traded for Tyrese Haliburton during the 2021-22 season, it became a rare trade where both teams benefitted from what they acquired. The No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Haliburton was well on his way to becoming one of the league’s top point guards with the Sacramento Kings.
But since the trade, Haliburton has really blossomed as the Pacers floor leader. He’s been selected to back to back All-Star appearances. The past two seasons he’s been among the finalists for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award.
He dealt with a hamstring issue during the season, but still managed to average 20.1 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, a league-leading 10.9 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 47.7 percent shooting from the field, 36.4 percent shooting from the three point line and 85.5 percent shooting from the free throw line.
Coming into Game 6 against the Bucks, Haliburton had been averaging 15.8 points per game, 5.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists with splits of 43.5 percent shooting from the field, 31.8 percent shooting from the three point line and 83.3 percent shooting from the free throw line.
The Pacers will await the winner between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are hoping to keep their season alive by forcing a Game 7 and as of publication they had a lead in the third quarter of Game 6.
More must-reads:
- Pacers ride historic shooting performance to Game 7 blowout of Knicks
- Disappointing end to playoffs doesn't diminish Knicks' bright future
- The 'Most triple-doubles in the postseason' quiz
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