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Entering Game 3 of their second-round postseason series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Indiana Pacers were feeling very good. Indiana had just taken the first two games of the series on the road and were coming home with a 2-0 series advantage.
More Pacers news: Pacers Reveal Injury Report For Game 4 vs Cavs
But Game 3 showed some flaws in the Pacers' game, and the Cavaliers were able to capitalize. Indiana was blown off th e court, as Cleveland cut the series deficit down to 2-1.
Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton had one of the worst games of the season, only scoring four points in the game. Haliburton wasn't his normal explosive self, and the Pacers quickly folded.
After the game, Haliburton weighed in on his struggles and revealed how he can try to stop it from happening again.
“Gotta just learn how to counter that. I gotta do a better job of keeping myself involved as a screener, creating chaos, creating movement myself,” Haliburton said. “I think I’m getting in the habit of just standing right now, which doesn’t help anybody and plays into what they want. I gotta do a better job screening off the ball, moving without the ball, because they’re not helping. And I think I can get other guys open.”
The Pacers need Haliburton to be himself if they are going to take down the top-seeded Cavaliers in this series. Indiana relies heavily on his scoring ability, but also his playmaking for the other players.
More Pacers news: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Has Received Advice From Unlikely All-Star During Playoffs
If Haliburton isn't able to put together another strong showing in Game 4, the Pacers could be in some trouble. The last thing that Indiana wants is to head back to Cleveland with the series tied at 1-1.
"Sun came up this morning," Haliburton said. "It's unfortunate. Didn't have a very good performance last night. But it's more film for me to look at, more stuff for me to figure out. It's all part of the process. Understanding it's not what I w ant to see from myself, not what I'm sure anyone wants to see from me. But I'll take it on the chin and I'll be better next game."
Game 4 is set to tip-off on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
More Pacers news:
Tyrese Haliburton Shrank When Pacers Needed Him Most
Pacers Have to Figure Out Massive Disadvantage vs Cavaliers
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Pushes Back on Criticism Over Skipped Media Session
For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, head over to Indiana Pacers
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USA Basketball upset by Uruguay at FIBA AmeriCup
The FIBA AmeriCup 2025 in Managua, Nicaragua, has been turned upside down. USA, one of the tournament favorites, was upset by Uruguay, 86-85, on Sunday. After trailing for the majority of the game, USA briefly regained the lead 83-82 with 1:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Uruguay quickly responded with a mini four-point run to help seal the victory. Former Tennessee Volunteers guard Santiago Vescovi led Uruguay in scoring with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, along with five assists and two rebounds. Langston Galloway led the way for USA with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. The result is significant because after two games in Group A, Uruguay and USA sit in second and third place, respectively, at 1-1. The final games in the group are that much more important now, as USA will face one of the tournament favorites, Brazil (2-0), while Uruguay will face Bahamas (0-2). There are a number of scenarios that could play out depending on who wins these games. For the tournament, the top two teams from each of the three groups will advance to the quarterfinals, along with two of the best third-place teams. Point differential is a big factor in FIBA Basketball, and USA currently has a +/- of +11, so even with a loss to Brazil, it would still be in a likely position to advance to the quarterfinals. The only difference is that it might find itself in a little bit of unfamiliar territory, playing as the "underdog" against a higher-seeded team.
Steelers nearly completed trade with Saints before making roster move
The Pittsburgh Steelers had to begin to determine the final roster for the 2025 season after the team played its final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. This is always a tough time of year for all 32 organizations across the NFL, as difficult roster decisions need to be made. One of those that the Steelers had to make came at punter, as the franchise had to decide between Cameron Johnston and Corliss Waitman for the starting job. On Monday, Pittsburgh made the move to release Johnston, which meant that Waitman had won the starting punting job in Pittsburgh. This was a bit of a surprise as it felt like most fans believed Johnston would win the job, but the two had a stark difference in what they were being paid. Waitman made significantly less, and the production from the two players was not all that different. Before releasing Johnston, Pittsburgh seemed to shop their punters around the league as the franchise looked to trade one of them. According to Adam Schefter, a deal almost got done with the New Orleans Saints. Fans wanted to see the organization find a way to move its extra specialists for additional draft capital. The Steelers probably felt comfortable starting either Johnston or Waitman at punter, so whichever one could bring in more value in a trade was going to be dealt. A trade didn't materialize, and Johnston was released. Had Pittsburgh and New Orleans come to an agreement on a deal, it is hard to imagine the Steelers would have been able to bring in anything higher than a sixth or seventh round pick for the punter. However, all draft capital is good. Both Waitman and Johnston are good enough to be starters in the NFL, but no team carries two punters. The Steelers were able to save money by releasing Johnston, and Waitman is due roughly $2 million less than the former Steeler. Play certainly factored into the decision to release Johnston, but it seems like it was mainly a business decision as Pittsburgh was able to create some more flexibility against the cap. Waitman filled in for Johnston after the punter suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1, and played well throughout the rest of the year.
Aaron Rodgers called to check on status of Packers WR ahead of roster deadline
When the Green Bay Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, multiple players followed him. Before the trade, New York signed wide receiver Allen Lazard, one of Rodgers’ favorite targets, and hired Nathaniel Hackett as the offensive coordinator. After the trade, it also signed wide receiver Randall Cobb, one of Rodgers’ best friends. As fans will recall, last season, the Jets also traded for Davante Adams, who had the best seasons of his own illustrious career while catching passes from Rodgers in Green Bay. After being released by New York following the 2024 NFL season, Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are in the market for a veteran wide receiver to pair with Pro Bowler DK Metcalf. And it appears the future Pro Football Hall of Famer is, once again, checking in to see if one of his former teammates in Green Bay might be available. Aaron Rodgers Called Regarding the Status of Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Romeo Doubs Indeed, there are not many players currently on the Packers roster who were also there when Rodgers played for Green Bay. Following the trade, the Packers front office overhauled their roster, and many popular longtime veterans were released or not re-signed. The only players left who played with Rodgers in 2022 (or earlier) are current quarterback Jordan Love, wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, cornerback Keisean Nixon, center Elgton Jenkins, offensive linemen Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. And, apparently, Rodgers may be interested in possibly reuniting with Doubs. "Rodgers called on Monday, one day before roster cuts; interestingly, he asked about the status of receiver Romeo Doubs. Exactly two months after Tuesday’s roster cuts, the Packers will visit the Steelers on Oct. 26," according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. Doubs was a rookie during Rodgers’ final season in Green Bay, and caught 42 passes for 425 yards and four touchdowns that year. All this being said, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear over the weekend that there is no way Doubs is going to be cut or traded. Additionally, all the injuries Green Bay’s wide receivers (Doubs included) have suffered during training camp have proved the Packers need all the depth at the position that they can get.
Update From Steelers' AFC North Rival Has To Have Fans In Baltimore Extremely Concerned
The Pittsburgh Steelers have high hopes for the 2025 NFL season after a plethora of roster moves occurred following a 2024 Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens. One of the main challenges ahead will be the difficulty of playing in the AFC North. All games are hard-fought, no matter what record each respective team has, so all four organizations, including the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, believe that a division title is within reach. Time will tell which franchise will come out on top, but fans around the NFL always love to tune in when the AFC North has in-division games on the schedule. Both Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have been around for a quite a while, which is why the two have so much respect for one another. Games between the Steelers and Ravens are often highly-anticipated and then highly-viewed. The contests always feature plenty of hard hits, and players for both organizations come out of them a little bit more bruised than they normally would have after a playing against a different opponent. This is exactly why health is so critical when these games come around twice per regular season. As all 32 franchises get ready to kick off the important football in just over a week's time, the Ravens set foot on the practice field on Monday. Unfortunately for fans in Baltimore, there were a plethora of impactful individuals that were watching from the sidelines, according to ESPN beat writer, Jamison Hensley. As roster cutdowns on Tuesday loom large, it's not ideal for a team practicing the day before to have this many questions marks when it comes to health. Even if many of the listed players are ready to go for the season opener, the Ravens are having important guys miss practice as the final ramp-up for the season begins. That's never a good sign, especially because starting out slow could completely derail any organization's campaign. Having certain personnel such as Patrick Ricard, Mark Andrews and newly-acquired Jaire Alexander on the shelf for a practice in late August could be precautionary, but it also could point to a much bigger issue that is developing. The Ravens haven't been known to be one of the league's healthiest teams in recent seasons, so this report from Hensley signals that there are still some things to work out before the meaningful contests begin. The injury bug is specifically affecting Baltimore on the defensive side of the ball. While Ricard and Andrews are two playmakers on the offensive end, there are several members of the secondary that remain watching in street clothes. If some of these carry into the regular season, it's possible that the Ravens will be a step behind the Steelers, Bengals and Browns. Steelers Hoping To Overachieve In Difficult AFC North Division Pittsburgh is not the favorite to win the AFC North, and is not even the second team listed when it comes to the odds. The Ravens and Bengals are the pair of squads to watch, but the Steelers are hoping to flip that narrative early on. As long as Tomlin's group can stay healthy in the final couple weeks of practice and not have any injury updates that look like Baltimore's most recent one, it's certainly possible for the Steelers to start off the regular season the right way. Would you be concerned about the Ravens' latest injury update if you were a fan down in Baltimore?
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