May 9, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) passes the ball while Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) defends during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Turns Heads With Game 3 Comments

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated May 11, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Indiana Pacers had been flying high following two nervy road playoff victories over the Eastern Conference's injury-plagued top seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Indiana took a 2-0 series lead into Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, with designs on carving out a borderline-insurmountable 3-0 advantage (no NBA team has ever successfully rallied to a win a best-of-seven playoff series trailing by that margin), only to come across a buzzsaw of a Cavaliers offense.

Keyed by six-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell's 43 points and the return to the court of All-Stars Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and sixth man forward De'Andre Hunter, the Cavaliers obliterated Indiana by double digits.

Following an even 32-32 first quarter showing, Cleveland absolutely steamrolled Indiana in the second frame, 34-13. The Pacers never recovered, ultimately falling 126-104.

More Indiana Pacers News: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Pushes Back on Criticism Over Skipped Media Session

Pacers All-Star and lead playmaker Tyrese Haliburton submitted a shockingly poor showing in the defeat. The 6-foot-5 Iowa State product scored just four points on 2-of-8 shooting from the floor, dished out five dimes (against three turnovers), and swiped a steal in 30 minutes of action.

The 25-year-old was apparently so aggrieved with his own play that he skipped out on his postgame media obligations Friday. Per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, Haliburton explained his feelings a day removed from that decision, and his Game 3 stinker.

A story on Tyrese Haliburton meeting with the media today after he wasn't available Friday and also pretty honestly answering all the questions we would have asked last night: https://t.co/G9JOC6SUXG
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) May 10, 2025

"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 want 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."

In the series so far (which Indiana now leads 2-1), Haliburton is averaging a modest 15.0 points on .529/.444/.714 shooting splits, 7.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per.

More Indiana Pacers News: Pacers' Rick Carlisle Calls Himself Out After Game 3

Mitchell, meanwhile, has been taking on a major piece of the Cavaliers' scoring burden in this series, with Garland sitting out the first two contests and looking clearly limited by his big toe injury in Game 3, and Mobley missing Game 2.

Donovan Mitchell has been on a tear against the Indiana Pacers this series

Game 1: 33 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST
Game 2: 48 PTS | 5 REB | 9 AST
Game 3: 43 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST

The Cavaliers take Game 3 and trail Indiana 2-1 in the series. pic.twitter.com/JW4kmEw5CL
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 10, 2025