Story by
Tyrese Haliburton warns Pacers about Game 7 ‘poison’
- Story by
- Tyrese Haliburton warns Pacers about Game 7 ‘poison’
© Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
The post Tyrese Haliburton warns Pacers about Game 7 'poison' appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Indiana Pacers are one win away from completing what could be the most improbable championship run in NBA history. But Tyrese Haliburton , the Pacers' star player, is trying to steer his team clear of thinking too far ahead.
Advertisement
After forcing a decisive Game 7 of the NBA Finals , Haliburton discussed what the next few days could look like for Indiana before taking the floor in Oklahoma City .
"The narratives are going to be almost poison," Haliburton said [h/t ESPN's Jamal Collier]. "To talk about what this would mean to our city and our organization and legacy talk, and we played so well and now the pressure is on [the Thunder] … there's going to be narratives that we can't really pay attention to.
"We've got to control what we can. So much of these games has come down to who is going to start the fight from a physicality standpoint, take care of the ball better and rebound the ball better. Those are the important things that we need to focus on. I don't even want to say, celebrate this one tonight and move on. It's done with. We did our job to take care of home court, and we have to be ready to compete in Game 7."
Tyrese Haliburton , Pacers force Game 7 of NBA Finals
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Facing elimination on their home floor Thursday, the Pacers dominated Game 6 , pulling away in the second quarter and never looking back en route to a 108-91 win. Haliburton, playing through a calf injury, had 14 points, 5 assists, and three triples. Six Indiana players scored in double figures, with Obi Toppin coming off the bench and leading the way with 20 points in 23 minutes.
Advertisement
With the win, the Pacers set up the first Game 7 of an NBA Finals since 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors on the road, completing the first 3-1 comeback in Finals history.
While Indiana, if it were to win, would not be making history in the same way as Cleveland, the Pacers would become one of the unlikeliest NBA champions ever. The fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers have pulled off heart-stopping comebacks in each of their four series during this postseason, including Game 1 of the Finals when they shockingly won in Oklahoma City 111-110.
Although Indiana managed to win the first game in OKC , the Thunder won their other two home games by 16 and 11 points. The Thunder, who are 10-2 at home in the playoffs, also successfully defended home court by beating the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the second round after losing the first game of that series at home. Additionally, OKC has yet to lose consecutive games in the postseason; the Thunder are 6-0 after a loss and have lost two in a row only twice all season.
In the NBA Finals , the road team is 4-19 in Game 7.
Related: NBA rumors: Hornets 'actively engaged' in trade discussions before NBA Draft
Related: Watch Pacers' Gainbridge Fieldhouse fans absolutely lose it on camera after Game 6
