The Indiana Pacers (45-34) went head-to-head with the Miami Heat (43-35) tonight.
The Pacers are currently sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The only two teams that are a significant threat to their playoff birth are the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. Beating the Heat tonight was imperative. It was a tough match-up that went down to the wire.
Ultimately, Indiana managed to outlast Miami and take the win at home.
Indiana Pacers Have Second Half Scare
Indiana led against Miami in the first half. Their first quarter was strong, as they put up 38 points, while the Heat only managed to snag 24. Things evened out a bit in the second when the Pacers scored 25, and the Heat scored 22. However, Indiana still had a solid 63-46 lead. If they had kept their momentum, they would’ve cruised to the finish line.
Instead, Indiana hit the brakes a bit. The third quarter was controlled by the Heat and in the fourth quarter they dominated. Furthermore, Indiana scored 11 fewer points than Miami in the fourth quarter. It seemed as though the Heat was going to pull off the win. Instead, the Pacers managed to finish them off in a 117-115 victory.
Struggling Tyrese Haliburton Carried by Team
Point guard Tyrese Haliburton is the lead scorer for the Indiana Pacers, with 20.2 points per game. However, in his last ten games, he has only averaged 18.4 points per game. Also, today, he only got himself 12 points. Haliburton was 3-10 from the field and only 2-7 from three-point land. These stats don’t match with the kind of player Tyrese Haliburton is.
Fortunately, Haliburton’s teammates stepped up for him. Both Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell had 22 points. Also, both of Indiana’s starting forwards came through. Pascal Siakam had 18 points and eight rebounds. Aaron Nesmith had 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists. If Indiana wants to be a Final contender, Haliburton has to play good basketball.
Where do the Pacers Go From Here?
There are only three games left in the regular season for the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately, the pressure is still on them. If they slip up in these last matchups, they could fall into the play-in tournament. If they win their next game, and the Heat and 76ers lose, the Pacers can clinch a playoff spot. It would mean being able to rest stars in their last two games.
As of right now, the Pacers would face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. Indiana has lost to Orlando twice this season. However, they managed to pull out a win against them in their last game. It would be a tough matchup for them. In order to take the Magic down, the Indiana Pacers would need a better Tyrese Haliburton than what they got today.
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Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Follow her on X @edellapiana1 .
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