Haliburton: ‘Definitely cool’ to have Reggie Miller there for crazy shot
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Pacers were down three points with 3.9 seconds remaining.
They came out in an unorthodox formation to inbound the ball. The ball was in the frontcourt on the sideline, but all four players were in the backcourt. It was the Pacers way of running “four verticals,” a football play, as Tyrese Haliburton referred to it
Haliburton started on the right side of the court, cut across, and received the pass from Andrew Nembhard.
He faded away, with all of his momentum heading towards the left corner, and hoisted up a shot over Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was absolutely pure. Nothing but net.
Haliburton was fouled by Antetokounmpo on the play. He made the free throw, and the Pacers won, 115-114.
“Obviously a great feeling,” Haliburton said. “It’s stuff you dream of. I’m thankful that my teammates trust me.”
His teammates and coaches were just as shocked by the play. The Pacers bench stood up with stunned looks on their faces.
“Incredible,” Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. “Impossible angle over Giannis (Antetokounmpo). I don’t even think you can see over him. He just made an incredible shot. I think it’s special players that make those type of shots.”
“Just an amazing sequence of events,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. “What a shot. What a play at the end. And Reggie Miller’s in the building. You got to feel like that gave us a little bit of good fortune as well.”
It was definitely cool for Haliburton to have Miller in the building for the shot.
“We have a great relationship and a guy that I’ve really leaned on since I’ve been here,” Haliburton said. “We talk very often, and for him to be here for that moment is pretty cool. It’s something I’ll look back on way, way down the line some day.”
“There’s definitely a lot of Reggie moments in this building and I’m just trying to create some of my own.”
The unusual play is one that Haliburton usually hates running. He doesn’t think he ever ends up getting the ball when they run it. He tried to convince the coaches to let him switch sides for the play, but they did not let him.
It ended up not mattering, and Haliburton hit the incredible shot to give the Pacers the win.
It was a crucial win for the Pacers playoff race. Heading into Tuesday, the Pacers were 0-2 against the Bucks. Now, they moved into a three-way tie with the Bucks and Pistons for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers return to action on Friday when they play the 76ers in Philadelphia.
