Tyrese Haliburton was completing his media commitments after the Indiana Pacers pulled off a 125-109 road win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2. Haliburton's comments after the game went viral, not for what he said, but because of the sudden adjustment in his voice mid-sentence.
Haliburton switching between a deeper voice and a lighter voice has been well-documented by ardent fans who have seen him appear in interviews. The point guard had a viral clip from his appearance on JJ Redick's podcast where he switched the tone of his voice up three times in a matter of 60 seconds.
How Haliburton's voice sounds is immaterial if he can keep producing on the court. After a dismal playoff debut in the Pacers' Game 1 loss to the Bucks, Tyrese rebounded with 12 points and 12 assists in their Game 2 win.
Tyrese Haliburton Took Shots At The Bucks Home Crowd
Everyone's been focused on how Haliburton switched the tone of his voice while talking, but what he said in that quote was extremely noteworthy. The point guard clowned the Buck's home atmosphere through the first two games, categorically stating that the Pacers home crowd was more energetic for regular season games.
"We've had regular season crowds better than what we've played in the last two games. We expect a great crowd. A lot of people are excited about what's to come in the series. Just the energy of the city right now with everything that's going on, especially us. We're excited to go"
The Bucks are former champions and found incredible ways to showcase their fan support during the 2021 Playoffs when fan interaction was still limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city has rallied behind basketball before, so it's surprising to see them not be enthusiastic about this matchup.
The primary reason behind a tepid Bucks crowd would be the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis was ruled out of the opening few games of the series due to a calf injury. The concern around the injury was high, so it's unclear if he'll return for Games 3 or 4 in Indiana.
The series is tied 1-1, so Indiana will feel confident in their ability to defend homecourt, especially if Giannis misses another game. In the absence of the former Defensive Player of the Year, Pascal Siakam has averaged 36.5 points and 12.0 rebounds through the first two games and has been the standout Pacer by a mile.
Haliburton's offensive prowess hasn't held a candle to Damian Lillard this series but his composed guard play has enabled his teammates to have impactful stints in this series. This is a golden opportunity, and the Pacers will hope their home crowd can galvanize them enough to pull off two wins to take a 3-1 series advantage before they go back to Milwaukee.
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