Tyrese Haliburton used an inhaler during halftime of the Indiana Pacers-Boston Celtics game and it helped him go off in the second half.
After putting up seven points, six rebounds and two assists on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and 1-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half, Haliburton recorded 19 points, four rebounds and 11 assists in the second half on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor and 4-of-7 shooting from 3.
“The first half, I was dead,” Haliburton said. “It feels good to win, especially in a game where nobody expected us to.”
Haliburton finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in 40 minutes against the Celtics. It was the first triple-double of his career.
The Pacers became the first team to reach the semifinal round of the in-season tournament. They will face the winner of the New York Knicks-Milwaukee Bucks game in Las Vegas.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Tyrese Haliburton, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers Updates
“It means the world to me to represent Indiana and this organization,” Haliburton said. “I don’t even know if it was as much about what was at stake, as what they did to us the last time. I think that (51-point loss) left a bad taste in our mouths.”
Each player on the winning team of the in-season tournament gets $500,000. Haliburton, who signed a $205 million contract this past offseason, is focused on winning the in-season tournament.
“We’ve wanted to be in this situation all year and here we are,” Haliburton said. “Now it’s not just about being here, it’s about winning. We’re excited to get to Vegas and play some more defense.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Tyrese Haliburton, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers Updates
Haliburton is now averaging 26.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 11.9 assists on the season. He has established himself as one of the best players in the NBA.
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