INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton made quite the splash on Tuesday night as his fadeaway 3-pointer led the Indiana Pacers to a thrilling 115-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. With just 3.4 seconds remaining, Haliburton not only made the basket but was also fouled by Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, resulting in what would become the game-winning four-point play.
Upon receiving the inbound pass from Andrew Nembhard along the left sideline, Haliburton deftly maneuvered, launching the shot as he was falling out of bounds. Remarkably, he scored, causing the crowd to erupt as he landed on the floor after converting the bucket. That left the Pacers with the decisive one-point lead after Haliburton successfully made the ensuing free throw.
Antetokounmpo pushed up the court quickly to redeem the Bucks with his own 3-point attempt, but the shot fell short as the buzzer sounded, sealing the outcome and drawing the Pacers level with the Bucks for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Haliburton finished the night with 14 points and 10 assists, making his return significant after missing the previous three games due to a hip injury. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, contributing significantly to the win. Bennedict Mathurin also showcased his talent with 17 points.
For the Bucks, Brook Lopez starred, scoring 23 points, with Antetokounmpo contributing 19 points and snaring 17 rebounds. Damian Lillard also added a notable performance with 15 points and 11 assists.
The victory came as the Pacers had been grappling with three straight losses prior to Haliburton’s return. His presence was felt immediately, with both players and fans buzzing over his performance.
Reflecting on his stunning shot, Haliburton described it as “like a football play” due to the fluidity and precision involved, likening the crossing routes of his teammates to the strategies seen on the gridiron. Haliburton stated, “It was great to see it work. The first time we ever ran the play in training camp two years ago, I made the shot the same way. I haven’t gotten the ball since. I usually hate running the play.”
He did not fret about stepping out of bounds and was confident shooting the shot: “I've shot it enough to know where I am on the court. Just rose up. I jumped higher than I normally do. It just went in.”
Statistically, this was only the fifth time since the play-by-play era began (1997-98) where a team converted such an elaborate four-point play down three points with less than ten seconds remaining.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle credited the moment as “an amazing sequence of events” with praise directed to his coaching staff, noting, “An amazing sequence of events. What a play, and Reggie [Miller] was in the building. They'll be talking about Tyrese's shot for many years.” The legendary Pacers player and Hall of Famer was present working as a commentator for TNT.
Haliburton’s effort didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates. Siakam expressed astonishment at Haliburton's shot, saying, “Just impossible angle, over Giannis. I don’t think he can even see over him.”
The Pacers, who had struggled without Haliburton, seem reinvigorated after this win, now set to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Bucks will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
This thrilling game has fans reflecting on the miraculous plays and the resilience of the Pacers, sparking excitement for their future performances as they vie for playoff contention.