Mar 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates the game winning basket in the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Tyrese Haliburton's Honest Statement After Pacers vs Kings

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI
By Sean Ackerman | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 11:14 PM ET

The Sacramento Kings suffered a crushing loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, getting taken down 111-109 after blowing a 16-point lead.

In a losing effort, the Kings were led by star forward DeMar DeRozan with 31 points and eight assists on 12-for-24 (50%) shooting from the field. But, a few strong performances from the Indiana side were too much for Sacramento.

Former Kings point guard Tyrese Haliburton helped his new side defeat Sacramento thanks to a double-double performance of 18 points and 11 assists. Haliburton and the Pacers have been red-hot in March, winning seven of their last nine games as the season dwindles down.

Following their win, Haliburton spoke to the media about what worked out for them to beat the Kings.

"I feel like every time it got down to 1, we missed," said Haliburton. "When you're getting good shots, you feel good about it. We knew eventually one would fall. Mine fell and then Pascal [Siakam's]."

Tyrese Haliburton- "I feel like every time it got down to 1, we missed. When you're getting good shots, you feel good about it. We knew eventually one would fall. Mine fell and then Pascal."
— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) April 1, 2025

Haliburton and Siakam hit back-to-back threes to take control of the lead with just a minute left in the fourth quarter. Aside from some clutch offense, Haliburton took time to credit his team's defensive effort down the stretch.

"When you're missing shots, you have to figure it out defensively," said Haliburton. "Double-A (Aaron Nesmith) did a great job on DeMar [DeRozan]."

Haliburton: "When you're missing shots, you have to figure it out defensively. Double-A (Nesmith) did a great job on DeMar."
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) April 1, 2025

The Kings have now lost two straight to the Pacers as the effects of the infamous Domantas Sabonis trade continue to play out in Sacramento. Sabonis put in a 25-point, 16-rebound shift, but it wasn't enough to take down his former team.

With the regular season coming to a close, it's looking more likely that Sacramento will retain its lottery-protected first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft. If the Kings make the play-in tournament, they'll have to fight for the right to play against the top seed of the West.

This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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