Tyrese Haliburton’s Blunt Response to Eastern Conference Finals Berth

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Robert Marvi | Last updated May 14, 2025 1:03 AM ET

During the NBA's regular season, the Indiana Pacers played solid basketball and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 50-32 record. But few people expected them to get past the second round of the playoffs.

In the second round, they faced the Cleveland Cavaliers, who went 64-18 and were being picked by some to reach the NBA Finals. But Indiana quickly took control of the series by winning the first two games in Cleveland, and on Tuesday, it closed out the series in five games at Rocket Arena.

The team will therefore head to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second year in a row, and two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton has led the way. After Game 5 on Tuesday, he lauded his team.

"It's a special feeling... this group is special," he said.

"It's a special feeling... this group is special."@TyHaliburton22 (31 PTS, 6 3PM) sounds off postgame after the Pacers clinched a spot in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals for the second-straight year pic.twitter.com/QiykIfuaSw
— NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2025

Haliburton averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists a game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.8% from 3-point range during the regular season. He upped his play a bit during the second half of the regular season, and in the playoffs, he has been big when the Pacers have needed him to be.

In Game 2 versus the Cavs, the Pacers were down 119-116 with 12 seconds left. Haliburton was fouled and made the first of two free throws, then got his own rebound after missing the second foul shot and nailed a 3-pointer to give his team a stunning 120-119 win.

In Game 5, he scored 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting while nailing six 3-pointers and added eight assists to send the Cavs home for the summer.

The Pacers will now await the winner of the New York Knicks-Boston Celtics series. The Knicks lead that matchup three games to one, which means a Pacers-Knicks Eastern Conference final series is very likely to take place.

Last year, Indiana outlasted a banged-up Knicks squad in the second round by winning Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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