Tyrese Haliburton Takes Blame for Pacers' Game 5 Loss to Knicks After 'Rough Night'
Tyrese Haliburton took responsibility for his struggles during the Indiana Pacers' 111-94 defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
"Yeah, rough night for me," Haliburton said after the game, via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. "I gotta do a better job of getting downhill."
"I feel like I could do a lot better, so put that on me," he added.
The star point guard finished with just eight points and six assists in 32 minutes on the floor, shooting 2-of-7 from the field.
Haliburton also missed both of his attempts from behind the arc.
The two-time All-Star wasn't the only Pacer who couldn't find any rhythm offensively, as four of Indiana's starters finished with a single-digit scoring total.
Pascal Siakam was the only one who didn't, ending Thursday's matchup with 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting and missing four free throws. Siakam also had a strange interaction with a reporter following the defeat.
Haliburton has still helped the Pacers build a 3-2 series lead over the Knicks while averaging 18.7 points and 9.5 assists per game in the playoffs, but his recent inconsistency could be a cause for concern moving forward.
Over his past seven appearances during Indiana's 2025 postseason run, he has three games with at least 30 points while failing to reach 15 points in three other contests.
Returning to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 6 could provide a boost to Haliburton and the Pacers, as the team owns a 5-2 record at home in the playoffs this season.
Indiana is still just one win away from its first NBA Finals appearance since 2000, but its star point guard was far from satisfied with his performance on Thursday night.
