Tyrese Haliburton knows he can’t keep starting games like this, especially not in the NBA Finals.
After another sluggish first half, the Pacers couldn’t find their way back into Game 2 in the NBA Finals, falling to Oklahoma City Thunder 123-107.
Haliburton finished with 17 points and six assists, but just three points and three assists came in the first half on 1-5 shooting. Not exactly the tone you want to see your star guard setting.
“This is who they are defensively,” Haliburton said postgame, noticeably limping as he exited the podium. “They got a lot of different guys who can guard the ball, fly around…I just got to figure out how to be better earlier in games.”
Haliburton touched the paint on just 9 percent of his touches in Game 2, ESPN research says. Game 1 wasn’t much better at 6.5 percent. Thats a shocking contrast from his typical aggressive playstyle and it seems to be hurting the Pacers early.
Head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t about to single him out, though.
“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring,” Carlisle said. “Everybody’s got to do more. Starts with the best players—Tyrese, Pascal, Myles—and then it goes from there.”
Still, Haliburton knows the spotlight is squarely on him.
“We had some success there, me playing off the pitch a little bit more,” he added, reflecting on a 12-point fourth quarter. “Flying around rather than always being in that high ball screen… that gives them a chance to load up, pack the paint.”
Now, with the series tied 1-1 and Game 3 headed to Indiana (a state where the Finals haven’t been played since 2000) the Pacers need their star guard to bring that fourth-quarter fire right from the opening tip.
Another slow start could lead to the same ending they found in Game 2.
READ MORE: NBA World Reacts to Tyrese Haliburton’s Absolutely Insane Game-Winner in G1.