The underdogs strike yet again. Celtics, Cavs, and Thunder- these were the three favourites heading into the semis. And who ended up losing their first games? Celtics, Cavs, and Thunder. It was the first time in NBA history that the away teams won their first games in the semis. But it’s worse for the Cavs- they lost both their home games to the Pacers. And at the center of it all? Clutch man Tyrese Haliburton. He came to the Rocket Arena with a bazooka in his arsenal, and he pulled the trigger to hit the winner with 1.1 seconds left.

But being their PG, he’s under the most pressure. Indianapolis looks to him like he’s their Superman. But does that pressure affect him? Not one bit. “I’m at peace. I’m at peace with my game. You know, understanding that I’m trusted in these moments. I have all the confidence in the world to make these shots.” And despite taking all the accolades in Cleveland, Ohio, he’s the first to be selfless. “My teammates and my coaching staff give me that confidence. And you know, I’m just trying to make plays out there,” said Hali in the postgame press.

But it wasn’t easy. Don’t let his 19/4/9 statline give you the wrong idea. The Cavs came into this game knowing Tyrese would be their biggest problem – and he recognized the respect they gave him by trying to shut him out completely. When you’re in the big stages, it’s more a mental game. And that’s what Kenny Atkinson’s men came in with. But it was the Pacers locker room that brought Tyrese Haliburton peace, and he came in clutch when it was needed.

“Yeah, they was just in a full deny, you know, trying to take me completely out. And that’s something we’ve seen from some teams this year. And I thought we did a great job of staying with it.” Haliburton was quick to give his team the credit as well.

“They got a bunch of different guys out there in full deny on me. I just have to keep my head. You know, I think it’s easy to get frustrated in that moment. But teammates, coaching staff, told me to stay with it. And I was just able to break loose there at the end of the game,” said the Pacers’ clutch demon after the game.

But the game isn’t over yet. They know the pressure of playing at home – their opponents just faced it. And despite a 2-0 lead, Tyrese is ready for the upcoming games, looking forward to improving on multiple fronts.

Tyrese Haliburton wants his team to keep improving

The Pacers, for all their highs, faced a low that their PG didn’t appreciate. “The past two games, we’ve had 17 turnovers both games. That is not who we are. We really have to improve there. I feel like- kudos to them for what they’re doing defensively, but I feel like a lot of those are unforced.” The grit might’ve gotten to them. But they pulled through, and Tyrese Haliburton was the star of the night. What’s next? Game 3 at the Gainbridge, with the entirety of Indiana coming to take that 3-0 with a song.

If there’s anything Rick Carlisle’s boys know, it’s defying the odds. Per ESPN’s research team, NBA teams are 3-1,640 when trailing by at least seven points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime since the 1997-98 season. That works out to a winning percentage of 0.18%. Two of those three wins came against the Pacers, and both were in the current postseason. So his message to the Cavs is this: You’re coming up against the best fanbase in the NBA. So better bring your A game.

“You know, I always say, playoff series don’t start till you know, somebody wins a road game. Well, we won we won two and you know, we’re going back home where we’ve had a lot of success over the last two years in the playoffs.”

Haliburton went on to praise Cleveland, recognizing how they are a team “that don’t lose often.” But Hali knows Indiana now have an advantage. “So it’s a great thing about going home. We’re going to get two days. Everybody take care of body, get to sleep in their own bed a little bit, and play at home in front of the greatest fans in the NBA. So it’s going to be lot of fun.”

You might not like him, but you have to respect him. Tyrese Haliburton is pushing the underdog agenda – the Pacers are here to win it all. But the Cavs were nearly invincible in the regular season, and missed out on three key starters in De’Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland. If these three come back for Game 3, do you think the Pacers can do it all over again?