Haliburton Says He’s Ready for Game 3 Despite Discomfort
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton downplayed 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 good and was not limited for the next game.Haliburton, who scored 17 points in Game 2, where the Pacers lost 123-107 in Oklahoma City on Sunday night, left the post-game press conference limping. Although he had his right ankle bandaged during Tuesday’s practice, coach Rick Carlisle stated that his star had no restrictions on the court. I know he feels some discomfort. But he’s getting better every day. I don’t think you’ll hear him make a big deal out of this. Carlisle also added that the atmosphere and the opportunity to play at home are reasons for the team’s enthusiasm, even though some players are not one hundred percent. Instead of focusing on the possible injury, Haliburton focused on the need to improve his performance 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 his strong fourth quarters. After Sunday’s game, he acknowledged that he needs to improve in the first half of the games to prevent the Pacers from falling behind by double digits, a difficult task against the Thunder’s defense. They’re 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. Additional defensive attention has been a constant throughout the postseason, with opposing teams trying to take the ball away from Haliburton. Carlisle highlighted a big difference with the Thunder. The difference is that Oklahoma has more people to throw against a great player. We will have to adjust and create better situations. We will have to be better. For Haliburton, improvement starts with video analysis. He has become a meticulous video observer in recent seasons, which has helped both him and the Pacers make adjustments from game to game. Indiana hasn’t lost consecutive games since March 8-10.I don’t think there’s anything more to elaborate on. I feel good and I’ll be ready for Game 3.
Tyrese Haliburton
Playing two games against these guys is really good. It gives me more material 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
