Haliburton’s Last-Second 3-Pointer Gives Pacers Stunning 120-119 Win Over Cavs, Taking 2-0 Series Lead
CLEVELAND – Tyrese Haliburton knows he’s the one his team relies on in the clutch. And once again, he didn’t disappoint.
With just 1.1 seconds remaining, Haliburton sank a dramatic 3-pointer to lift the Indiana Pacers to a 120-119 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. The win gave the Pacers a surprising 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinals series.
The Pacers’ remarkable comeback came in the final 47.9 seconds, as they scored the last eight points of the game. Haliburton was a key figure, scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter alone.
After a crucial steal by Andrew Nembhard from Cleveland’s Max Strus with 27.5 seconds left, Indiana initially sought a potential game-tying three. Haliburton, however, drove inside and got fouled. He made his first free throw but missed the second. Undeterred, he grabbed his own rebound, stepped out to the 3-point line, and drained the game-winner from the top of the key.
“I was (ticked) I missed the layup, but I just backed it out, saw Ty Jerome, and knocked it down,” Haliburton said. “It’s the NBA — crazier things happen. We don’t give up, and we’re battle-tested. We just find a way.”
The Pacers guard has been clutch throughout the playoffs. He hit a key layup in overtime to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks just a few days earlier, and now, he’s delivered again in the postseason, adding another iconic shot to his growing list.
Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle praised Haliburton’s ability to deliver under pressure, saying, “Obviously, we got lucky. Ty hit another amazing shot to win the game. You don’t see this very often, let alone twice in one week. Tyrese, he came through again. We’re very fortunate.”
Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith each scored 23 points for the Pacers, while Haliburton’s heroics helped Indiana achieve something rare in franchise history. This marks the first time since 1994 that the Pacers have won the first two games of a playoff series on the road.
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell put on an impressive performance, scoring 48 points for the Cavs despite missing three key players due to injury. The Cavs were without NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, key reserve De’Andre Hunter, and Darius Garland, who’s been sidelined by a toe injury.
“We outplayed them for most of the game, but toward the end, we had some mental lapses. They capitalized on every mistake we made,” said Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Cavaliers had a strong third quarter, building a commanding 98-81 lead late in the period. But the Pacers surged back with a 17-6 run, narrowing the gap. Cleveland looked poised to secure a win when Max Strus hit a 3-pointer with just over a minute left, putting the Cavs ahead 117-110.
However, the Cavs couldn’t hold on, committing two key turnovers, while the Pacers grabbed crucial offensive rebounds that led to points. This marked the first time the Cavaliers have lost their first two playoff games at home since 1996.
Carlisle summed up the game with a mixture of disbelief and pride: “Cleveland hit us with a hellacious punch early in the game. In the fourth, we just hung on. We maintained enough energy to get it done. Give the guys credit, they somehow found a way.”
The series now heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Friday, with the Pacers holding a rare 2-0 advantage on the road in the postseason.
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