Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers (23-46) took on Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks (33-34) in part of the NBA Sunday slate. It was the Hawks who came out on top with 131-128 being the final score.
An explosive first half of offense from the Hawks established a 77-59 halftime lead, but they were unable to maintain it after the break. The Pacers came roaring back and even came within two points a few times in clutch-time, but had too much of a hole to overcome at that point.
The point guard matchup between Trae Young and Haliburton was an intriguing one to watch in this Pacers vs Hawks game. With Indiana’s focus being on Haliburton’s development, this was a good test for them as they continue to wait for the 2022 NBA Draft.
A huge performance from Trae Young set the tone for the Hawks in this game. He racked up 47 points and five assists all while six of his teammates reached double-figure scoring.
LATEST NBA NEWS: ‘Free Kyrie!’: Nets Fans, Players React To Irving Sitting Courtside
Tyrese Haliburton finished with 25 points and 10 assists on the night while Buddy Hield (25) and Duane Washington (22) each surpassed the 20-point threshold, too. Scoring wasn’t an issue in this Pacers vs Hawks matchup for either side, but getting stops proved to be a challenge—a pattern for both sides throughout the season.
Largely, it has been a struggle for the Pacers to win games since moving Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert at the NBA trade deadline. Well, that was true prior to those moves, too, however.
The Indiana Pacers pulled off a 119-108 win over the heavily short-handed San Antonio Spurs in their previous outing. Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 19 points, 10 assists, and three steals with the team as a whole shooting 14-36 (38.9 percent) from beyond the arc.
LATEST NBA NEWS: ‘Free Kyrie!’: Nets Fans, Players React To Irving Sitting Courtside
It has been an underwhelming season for the Atlanta Hawks after managing to make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals. They are seeking to maximize their outlook for the play-in tournament. With this win, they passed the Charlotte Hornets for ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Entering this Pacers vs Hawks matchup, Atlanta was heavily favored with Caesars Sportsbook having the odds as lofty at -12.0.
Related Stories on Latest NBA Injury News, Trade Rumors & Analysis
WHY WESTBROOK NEEDS BUYOUT: The expectations were significant for the Los Angeles Lakers after the addition of Russell Westbrook was finalized using a trade with the Washington Wizards. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the helm, the bar was set at winning an NBA title or bust. READ MORE
KYRIE EARLY LANDING SPOTS: The 2021-22 NBA season has been a strange one for Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets, to say the least. It still remains as such given he is still ineligible to play in home games and would not even be able to play in a road matchup with the Toronto Raptors in the play-in tournament. READ MORE
