Haliburton Says He’s Ready for Game 3 Despite Discomfort
INDIANAPOLIS – Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers star, downplayed any concerns about his physical condition ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals. After Tuesday’s practice, Haliburton admitted he was dealing with “something in his lower leg,” but assured he felt fine and would not be affected in the game.Haliburton limped out of the post-game press conference after scoring 17 points in Game 2, a 123-107 loss in Oklahoma City on Sunday night. At Tuesday’s practice, Haliburton had his right ankle taped, but according to coach Rick Carlisle, the Pacers star had no limitations on the court.I don’t think there’s anything more to elaborate on. I feel good and I’ll be ready for Game 3.
Tyrese Haliburton
Carlisle also highlighted the importance of the current moment of the season.I know he has some discomfort. He feels it. But he’s getting better every day. I don’t think you’ll hear him make a big deal out of it.
Rick Carlisle
This is the time of year when there’s simply nothing better than this. The atmosphere, the interest, the opportunity, coming back and being at home, I mean, there’s a lot to be excited about. We have a couple of guys who aren’t feeling quite right; I don’t think anything will prevent these guys from playing in the game.
Rick Carlisle
Instead of focusing on any possible injury, Haliburton focused on the need to improve for Game 3. So far, in this series, he averages 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists with 50% shooting efficiency, thanks to some good consecutive fourth quarters. After Sunday’s game, he acknowledged that he needed to improve in the first half of the games to prevent the Pacers from falling behind by double digits, a task easier said than done against the Thunder’s defense.
They are really connected on the defensive end. I feel like they mix up the coverages. Coach [Mark] Daigneault isn’t afraid to do things on the fly. He doesn’t do anything that’s very traditional. Haliburton also added:Additional defensive attention has been a recurring theme throughout the postseason from opposing teams trying to take the ball away from Haliburton, but Carlisle pointed out a big difference with the Thunder.They really have done that all year. I feel like they’re willing to mix things up. The biggest thing is the staff. Their staff is unlike anywhere else.
Tyrese Haliburton
For Haliburton, improvement starts with reviewing the filming. He has become a meticulous observer of the filming in recent seasons, which has helped him and the Pacers make adjustments from game to game. Indiana hasn’t lost consecutive games since March 8-10.The difference is that Oklahoma has more people to throw against a great player. We’ve been through these situations many times, not just during the playoffs, but during the regular season, not just this season but previous seasons. We’ll have to adjust and create better situations. We’ll have to be better.
Rick Carlisle
Playing two games against these guys is really good. It gives me more film to watch, to see where I can improve. I feel like I haven’t been great in any way in the first two games. I’m just trying to take what I can to prepare for Game 3, just trying to be the best version of myself.
Tyrese Haliburton
