After defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in 5 games this postseason, the Indiana Pacers are set to face their toughest challenge yet as a team: a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Semifinals. Just a few days before Game 1 of the series, star guard Tyrese Haliburton admitted that he’s looking forward to competing against the East’s top team this year.
“We’ll start real team prep tomorrow or the day after. I think we play them on Sunday, so we’ll practice on Saturday and travel on Saturday. They’re a good team, they’re physical. They can shoot the ball really well; they have multiple guys that can handle, shoot, and defend, and I think that’s why you see the record that they have. They’re a really good, a really deep team, so we just got to be able to match that energy,” said Haliburton on the Pat McAfee Show. “It’s not going to be easy by any means. They’re a really good team, so we’re looking forward to that competition. This year, we haven’t really ever played each other this season at full health, so it’s hard to look at all the film, so as far as film, I’ll have to go back two years.”
The Pacers are one of 10 teams that have never won a title, and they’ve only made the NBA Finals once since their NBA debut in 1976. As a small-market franchise, the Pacers are rarely considered a championship threat, and it has been years since their last superstar (Paul George) made them relevant in the East.
It was the arrival of Haliburton, along with established NBA veterans, that helped Indiana move up in the NBA hierarchy, but the job is not done yet, and Tyrese has big ambitions for the future.
With averages of 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game on 47.3% shooting this season, Tyrese Haliburton continues to make his case as one of the best young guards in the game. He has single-handedly put the Pacers in the playoff mix due to his brilliant offensive game, which helps maximize teammates such as Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, and Andrew Nembhard.
Haliburton, 25, was drafted 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2020. After an impressive rookie campaign, Hali was traded midway through the 2021-22 season in a shocking basketball move. Ever since, Tyrese has been the face of the Indiana Pacers franchise, and he has led them to prosperity in the East.
One year removed from a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers are back in the second round again after an impressive series win over the Milwaukee Bucks. That series ending was toxic, but Haliburton is doing his part to help everyone move on and focus on beating their newest opponents.
At 64-18, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been dominating the NBA all season long, and they embarrassed the Miami Heat in the first round with a dominant 4-0 sweep. In Game 4, on Monday, the Cavaliers won the game by 55 points, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was at a loss for words trying to explain what happened.
Now, going into the second round, the Cavaliers aren’t just favored to win the series, they are among the favorites to win the championship. Between Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Max Strus, the Cavs have everything in place to make a title run, and the Pacers will face overwhelming odds trying to take them down.
