The Indiana Pacers continue to shock. The team, from which not many had expectations, secured a spot in the inaugural NBA In-Season tournament all thanks to one athlete. The cornerstone of the Railroad City, Tyrese Haliburton has changed the narrative about his franchise with a spectacular display of skills and leadership. And so, the Pacers have miraculously managed to reach the knockout stages of the NBA Cup, defeating one of the most in-form teams in the league today, the Milwaukee Bucks.

So, as the City of Angels will be facing the Pacers in the first-ever NBA Cup final, the rising star of the Lakers, Austin Reaves, spoke about Haliburton. He praised Lil Magic’s performance and even made a bold prediction about him to his teammate, D’Angelo Russell.

Austin Reaves acknowledges the spectacular efforts of Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton has consistently been performing well for his team. He’s not only aiding the Pacers with his shooting prowess but also his playmaking skills. Due to his control over the pace of the game and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates, Lakers star Austin Reaves calls him “unselfish”. He even goes on to make a bold prediction about the former All-Star in a post-match interview.

When asked whether Reaves saw this coming for Haliburton, he said, “Yeah, I mean I told D-Lo before the season started that if they’re competing in the East, then I think Tyrese has a chance to win an MVP at some point. Just cause the way he plays, an unselfishness that he plays with, and the way he makes his teammates better. You know it says a lot.” 

The 23-year-old guard for the Pacers put up 27 points and 15 assists against the Bucks to secure a victory for his team. After the game ended, he even acknowledged the fact that no one had faith in his team.

Read More: Tyrese Haliburton Destroys Doubters With a Smile After “Shocking the World” Again

Due to this, with every game, the Pacers are shocking the world and letting naysayers know that their wins are no ‘flukes’. Currently, Haliburton is averaging 26.5 points and 14 assists per game throughout the in-season tournament. However, they have one ‘final’ test in Las Vegas for the $500,000 cash prize against the City of Angels’ Los Angeles Lakers, And winning against them, would not be as easy.

LeBron James and the Lakers march on, set to face the Pacers

The Los Angeles Lakers annihilated the New Orleans Pelicans with a score of 133-89. And yet again, it was the 39-year-old NBA superstar, Lebron, whose performance outshined everyone on the roster. In just 23 minutes, LeBron James secured 30 points sealing the win for his team. Moreover, looking at the Lakers’ play, they have shown a big growth in their game. They are a team who do not attempt a lot of 3-pointers. But, in this matchup, they had 17 of their 35 attempts from beyond the arc.

The Lakers benefited from the Pelicans’ blowout, letting crucial players like James and Davis play in low-stress situations. With the Pacers turning out to be a difficult opponent, the rest acquired from the easy win might be key in the final. Despite their unorthodox shooting performance in the previous game, the Lakers will have to present a well-rounded game against the Pacers’ explosive style to win the highly anticipated prize.

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