Tyrese Haliburton propels Indiana Pacers past Boston Celtics into NBA Cup semi-finals

INDIANA – Tyrese Haliburton, who was relishing the play-off atmosphere, could not have picked a better time to score his first National Basketball Association (NBA) career triple-double.

The Indiana Pacers, fuelled by their point guard, defeated the Boston Celtics 122-112 on Dec 4 to become the first team to reach the semi-finals of the NBA’s new in-season tournament.

Haliburton scored 26 points with 10 rebounds and 13 assists as the Pacers put together a 9-0 scoring run with less than two minutes remaining to take control of a tightly contested battle in Indianapolis.

The Pacers, ranked sixth in the Eastern Conference regular-season standings, knocked out the East-leading Celtics. They will face either the Milwaukee Bucks or the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup last four in Las Vegas on Dec 7.

The Bucks will host the Knicks in the quarter-finals on Dec 5 (Dec 6 morning, Singapore time) and Haliburton said the Pacers will be ready for either team.

“We’re a young, hungry group and we want to win every night,” he said. “So we’re excited to be there, but we’re not complacent being there. We want to win.”

On the win over Boston, he added: “I don’t even know if it was as much about what was at stake, as what they did to us the last time (155-104 loss in November).

“I think that (51-point loss) left a bad taste in our mouths.”

Buddy Hield added 21 points for the Pacers, who had seven players score in double figures to the delight of the 16,000-plus crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

“The atmosphere is crazy,” Haliburton said of the play-off-type intensity in the arena, which was just what the NBA was looking for when it launched the tournament, hoping it would lend excitement to the early stages of a long season.

“I love this, and it means the world to me to represent Indiana and this organisation.”

Jayson Tatum scored 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 30 points and nine rebounds for Boston, who dominated inside in the first half but just could not keep the prolific Pacers offence in check in the second.

The Celtics outscored Indiana 32-14 in the paint and outrebounded them 34-19 in the first half and led 55-48 at the break.

However, the Pacers turned the tables in the second half.

Haliburton, held to seven points in the first half, scored eight in the first four minutes of the third quarter.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said 17 turnovers – six of them in the third quarter, when the Pacers briefly pushed their lead to 11 – doomed the Celtics.

“When you turn the ball over, you just let them get out in transition,” he said.

On Haliburton’s impressive performance, he added: “He played well. The whole team played well. (Brown) did the best he could (defensively).”

It was all level at 105-105 with 1min 33sec to play when Indiana delivered the final blow.

Haliburton drew a foul on a step-back three and converted the free throw to give the Pacers the lead for good.

Hield drilled a three-pointer and Aaron Nesmith threw down a dunk before Boston could respond and Indiana held on.

Over in the West, Brandon Ingram recorded 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists and the New Orleans Pelicans also advanced to the semi-finals with a 127-117 road victory over the Sacramento Kings.

The Los Angeles Lakers are due to host the Phoenix Suns on Dec 5.

The title game is on Dec 9 in Vegas – where the finalists will be competing for the first NBA Cup and US$500,000 (S$669,000) in prize money per player for the winning team. AFP, REUTERS