And Tyrese Haliburton triplaz in the absence of 1.1 seconds sealed the triumph of the Indiana Pacers by 119-120 and broke the hearts of the Cleveland Cavalierscon three of his injured figuresthat They were winning 20 points and with 0-2 in its series of the semifinals of the east conference After losing two games at home.
Only one day after Aaron Gordon’s genius for the Denver Nuggets against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Haliburton made an almost perfect imitation with a triple that culminated a Huge Remove from Indiana (Eastern Fourth) and that leaves Cleveland very touched (first).
They were useless in the end 48 points of a Donovan Mitchell star and the commendable collective effort of some cavaliers without the Injured Darius Garland (finger), Evan Mobley (ankle) and De’andre Hunter (finger) and very unfortunate in a cruel final stretch in which they wasted a +7 in the last minute.
Haliburton, Indiana hero despite suffering discomfort in his left hand, ended with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Five other players added double scoring digits including Myles Turner (23 points and 8 rebounds)Aaron Nesmith (23 points with 5 triples) and Bennedict Mathurin (19 points).
By Cleveland, Mitchell finished with 15 of 30 in field shots (1 of 7 in triples) and 17 of 21 from the personnel line. He also distributed 9 assists. He was accompanied by Max Strus (23 points with 5 triples and 8 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (22 points and 12 rebounds) but Ty Jerome was fatal (2 points with 1 of 14).
Haliburton breaks the heart of the cavaliers to put the 0-2 Pacers
A 4-9 departure did not predict a happy night for Cleveland fans but the reaction was fast.
The Cavaliers made it clear that they were not going to throw the game with a forceful 32-15 in the first quarter. It was not his attack, one of the most overwhelming in the league, but the defense of the key to that initial period in which they suffocated some Pacers with 31.2 % field shots (12.5 % in triples) and nothing less than 9 ball losses.
In addition, Mitchell understood from the beginning that his team needed a capital effort on his part and responded with 12 points.
Haliburton suffered discomfort in the left wrist but fortunately could continue. In addition, the Pacers improved their sensations in the second quarter especially in the offensive.
-But in defense, Mitchell was still too loose. The local star arrived with 21 points at rest and also gave a shocking matte on Siakam.
In any case, the Pacers, who had come to lose 20 points, regained land on the way to the costumes (61-50) leaning on 15 points of Turner.
The resumption looked a lot like the first quarter with the much more intense and concentrated cavaliers than too irregular Pacers.
The +20 returned to the score after a Strus mate (81-61 with 6.51 on the clock), but Indiana had still reserved forces to try the comeback with 10 points of Mathurin (98-84 at the beginning of the last quarter).
In a few occasions throughout the night, those of Rick Carlisle were able to impose their accelerated, strenuous and frantic rhythm. However, in the fourth period they managed to put one more march to shorten the disadvantage between the murmurs and the doubts of Cleveland’s rock sand.
The response throughout the last quarter was the expected one: that of a Mitchell who with epic baskets, assists as a key to a triple Strus and free throws supported his team, who arrived with +7 at the last minute.
From there, everything was misfortunes for Cleveland while Indiana smelled blood. Nesmith invented a mate in offensive rebound after free kick, Mitchell committed a foul in attack and Siakam left visitors only 3 points with 27.5 seconds for playing.
The Cavaliers stuck a new shot in the foot with a loss of ball from the band’s loot and the time of Haliburton came, which had already signed the winning basket in the fifth game of the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The base scored a free kick and took the rebound after failing the second, which opened the door that with a front triplazo certified Indiana’s comeback and gave a blow that could be lethal to Cleveland.
