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.

Source: AP News – Haliburton’s 3 with 1.1 seconds left gives Pacers 120-119 stunning win over Cavs and 2-0 series lead

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BOSTON  – The Boston Celtics cruised to a 103-86 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday, but the win wasn’t without its tense moments. As the Celtics began to assert their dominance, their star player, Jayson Tatum, found himself on the ground in pain after a hard fall.

Despite the scare, Tatum was able to recover and finish the game, much to the relief of the home crowd. As chants of “MVP!” filled the TD Garden, Tatum slowly made his way to the bench, reassuring fans that he was alright. “I just landed on it. It was throbbing for a second,” Tatum explained. “It kind of went away.”

With Tatum back in action, Boston was able to maintain control of the game, with Derrick White leading the charge, scoring a career-high 30 points. Tatum finished with 17 points, and Payton Pritchard made a big impact off the bench, adding 19 points. Jaylen Brown, who had missed the last three regular-season games due to a knee injury, chipped in with 16 points, playing 31 minutes.

White, confident in his team’s versatility, said, “We’ve got many different ways we can win. A lot of different things we can throw at teams.”

While the Celtics were comfortably in control for most of the game, the Magic managed to keep things close early on. Orlando led by one point at halftime, largely due to their defense, which limited the Celtics’ usually potent three-point shooting. The Magic forced the Celtics to make just 7-of-15 three-pointers in the first half, and Boston finished the game with a solid 16-of-37 from beyond the arc.

However, the tide turned in the third quarter, when Orlando struggled with turnovers, giving up six in the period. The Celtics capitalized, outscoring the Magic 30-18 and taking a 78-65 lead into the final quarter. From there, Boston extended their lead to as much as 19 points, closing out the game with ease.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero led his team with a standout performance, scoring 36 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while Franz Wagner added 23 points. Despite their strong individual performances, the Magic couldn’t overcome the Celtics’ defensive pressure and ball movement.

“We’ve got to clean up the turnovers,” said Banchero. “It’s Game 1, there’s nerves. Lit crowd. Really loud. Not a total surprise that we struggled a little bit on offense, honestly.”

Jaylen Brown, who had injections in his knee last week to manage the issue, showed no signs of limitation. In the third quarter, with the Celtics holding a 15-point lead, Brown threw down an emphatic two-handed dunk and hung on the rim in celebration. “I haven’t got one of those in a little bit,” Brown said. “But we’re just getting started.”

The Celtics will look to extend their series lead when they host Game 2 on Wednesday night. With Tatum’s health intact and their offensive depth on full display, Boston appears well on its way to advancing deeper into the playoffs as they aim to defend their NBA championship.

Source: AP News – Derrick White scores 30, Tatum stays in game after fall and Celtics beat Magic 103-86 in Game 1

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