The Indiana Pacers pulled off a major upset on Sunday night by defeating the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 121-112 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. With Tyrese Haliburton’s big day, Indiana takes an early 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Following the game, Haliburton spoke to reporters about how the Pacers managed to overcome a team widely considered the best in the Eastern Conference. Haliburton admitted the win gave his team a strong emotional boost.
“Yeah, it gives us a lot of, you know, momentum for sure, and you can definitely feel good about it. This is the best team in our conference. But I thought we did a great job of weathering the storm when you know that Cleveland was on its way, and I thought we did a great job of weathering that,” Haliburton said in the post-game press conference.
"That Cavalanche was on its way and I thought we did a great job of weathering that." 🗣️
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 5, 2025
Tyrese reflected on what went right for the Pacers in a big Game 1 win. pic.twitter.com/JDbNFtFYco
The Game 1 win also marked Cleveland’s first playoff loss this season, and it came on their home court. Haliburton later shared his trust in his team, especially the way they approached the opening moments of the game.
“I felt confident in our group, but I love the way we started the game. I loved our energy from start to finish, and yeah, it’s really good,” he added.
Tyrese Haliburton Responds To Critics With Dominant Stat Line
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Tyrese Haliburton has recently been in the spotlight for reasons beyond his performance. In an anonymous player poll, he was labeled the NBA’s most overrated player. He clearly took the assessment to heart. Rather than letting it bring him down, Haliburton responded with a powerful statement on the court.
In the Game 1 win, he delivered a standout performance with a 22-point, 13-assist double-double. He also added three rebounds, a steal, and three blocks while shooting an efficient 9-of-15 from the field, 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, and converting both of his free throws.
With this game, Haliburton now holds the record for the most playoff games in Pacers history with 20+ points and 10+ assists. It’s really an emphatic response to those questioning his value.
