Tyrese Haliburton demonstrates why he is the king of the comeback with an agonizing victory of the Pacers in Oklahoma | Basketball | Sports

The signal came in the form of torrential rain. Lightning included. “Welcome to Oklahoma’s climate,” shouted an amateur who protected himself from the rain under the Paycom stadium roof. The real chasco gave it on the Tyrese Haliburton court with an agonizing shot that left the 18,000 Thunder fans. The Base of the Indiana Pacers recalled why the Eastern Champions have been the kings of the comeback in these Playoffs. The star scored an agonized air shot in the last possession, and after going down on the scoreboard throughout the game. Indiana surprises and takes the first of the series, 110-111. The second meeting will be played on Sunday.

The Pacers came to go 15 points down on the scoreboard. Oklahoma’s domain was practically total. They were imposed on the points within the paint and in the counterattacks. When almost all of the encounter, Indiana opted for the in-depth shots, getting in the last quarter a partial of 12-2. The strategy worked for the team that has led the most triple in the postseason. The Pacers scored six in the last quarter: two from Myles Turner, two from Obi Toppin, one from Aaron Nesmith and another from Andrew Nembhard.

Haliburton only scored four points at the close, but did what he knows best to do, nail the final dagger. He sported jumping inside the area and left Oklahoma with only 0.3 on the clock. With the house’s seal, the Pacers have achieved their fifth comeback of these playoffs going down 15 points or more. It is the team that has given the most disgust to its rivals in 27 years.

“It is at that time when the team trusts me and gives me the ball,” Haliburton said with the mischief of a child who has committed a mischief. “It is very fun to win,” added the base, who registered a double double of 14 points and ten rebounds, in addition to six assists. Haliburton took carbon, because he broke the zero with his first basket in the last minutes of the first quarter. Most of the night he had encountered the defensive wall raised by Canadian Lu Dort (15 points, four robberies and two caps) and Alex Caruso (eleven points, three robberies and two caps).

The defeat bitter the night for a hobby that has painted the city blue. Life had been suspended this Thursday in the capital of the state of Oklahoma to follow the first final they have played since 2012. Two hours before the game there were already queues outside the stadium, where a great atmosphere was lived. Already inside, this hobby made it clear why they are considered one of the most scandalous of the NBA. With screams and fans, the noise raised up to 106 decibels, as a soundometer showed on the screen. The fans were all dressed in white and did not sit during the 48 minutes in which the ball was moving. At the end of the night, however, the silence was dense.

“We have lost games one before. We have to learn the lesson and be better in the future,” said a Cariacancido Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The MVP of the season had another inspired night with 38 points, three robberies and three assists. Ten were spotted in the last period. The Thunder lost in this same stage the start of the West semifinal against the Denver Nuggets, and thanks to a basket by Aaron Gordon. That series extended to seven games and seemed to be the toughest test for Oklahoma until Haliburton and his teammates appeared tonight.

Everything had marched for Oklahoma in the first half. To the degree that some excess of confidence could be accused. The team headlines did not even leave the court for part time. Gilgeous-Alexander stayed rehearsing triples with Chet Holmgren, who had difficulty finding the basket. He had scored only four points to the intermediate. Despite continuing to warm up, the aim did not improve for the pivot of the Thunder, who closed the night with just nine shots and six points.

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle, on the other hand, took everything to the dressing rooms during the break to change the game’s course. His main concern, as he confessed later, was the bleeding of lost balls in the first half. There were 19 that let go of bad passes inside the painting or mislead before the defenders of Oklahoma, who ended with eleven robberies in the first two periods. Despite the adjustments, Indiana closed the night with 25 ball losses that the Thunder turned into eleven points. The locals had only seven.

But Calisle’s modifications had effect, as they managed to overcome on the scoreboard in the last two quarters with partials of 31-28 and 35-25. The African Paskal Siakam, the MVP of the East Final, was the top scorer with 19 points. He was followed by Obi Toppin from the bank, who put six of nine shots for 17 points. The Banking of the Pacers collaborated with 39 points, much more productive than that of Oklahoma, with 28.

Mark Daigneault, the Thunder coach, had made adjustments at the beginning of the final. He laid the pivot Isaiah Hartenstein, who had been one of the strong men of the defense, to put the Cason Wallace escort, who tonight had his first start as a starter in the playoffs. This movement gave Oklahoma versatility in the first minutes. Holmgren, the highest of the team, was left with the tasks in the center of the defense, while Wallace, in his third year in the NBA, contributed greater agility to the defensive pressure suffered by the Pacers. Daigneault must do more experiments if you don’t want to go to Indiana with two losses in tow.