Late miscues cost Pacers despite historic sharpshooting third quarter
The Pacers trailed the Hornets at halftime, then piled up 50 points in the third quarter. But rebounds, free throws and turnovers kept them from another win.
Tyrese Haliburton’s eyes were glued to the box score. He’s in the media interview room inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a postgame interview, along with Buddy Hield, but he’s transfixed on the box score. (Not even with his usual smoothie, just a bottle of Esentia water.)
He’s hurt. Frustrated. Disappointed.
They were so close, but close doesn’t cut it. This was a missed opportunity to stay above .500 just 10 days into the new season.
For 53 seconds, he looked directly at the laser printer paper between them as Hield answered the first two questions, then looked at Haliburton to see if he’s taking the third, but nope, Hield continued on. That’s what big brothers do.
“I feel like we had stops, but we didn’t get the rebound,” Hield said of the Charlotte Hornets’ 74 paint points, 34 more than the Pacers. “We got to crack back on the bigs and do a better job boxing out.”
Haliburton’s first five games have been to his liking, shots not falling like he expects. One night after saying his performance was “trash,” in part due to the lack of confidence in the tournament court, Haliburton had broken through and matched his career high with 43 points.
But it doesn’t matter.
He wants to be a winner, wants to reach the postseason and feel all it has to offer, but the Pacers weren’t a winner on Saturday night.
“Just mad,” he said. “Don’t want to lose. I think everybody’s angry.”
The opportunities were there for the Pacers (3-3). They got themselves back in the game thanks to a barrage of 3-pointers. They made 22 in all, one shy of the franchise record (and 14 more than Charlotte), but failed to execute in the final two minutes.
Aaron Nesmith missed a free throw, Hield was off on a 3-point attempt, then Myles Turner committed a turnover. About 10 seconds later, Hield had an and-1 opportunity, but missed a free throw.
This is probably a good time to mention how the Hornets were perfect at the stripe, 23 for 23, and outscored the Pacers by 11.
Then after the ball was out on the Hornets, Haliburton rushed the inbounds pass to Turner with 23.8 seconds left and turned it over. Totally unnecessary.
Out of a timeout, Hornets forward P.J. Washington had his layup attempt blocked by Hield, setting up the Pacers for one more opportunity down by just one.
The Pacers had a timeout but didn’t want to use it. It’s situation dependent, but because they play randomly, they put the ball in Haliburton’s hands and let him go to work.
Only this time it was unsuccessful. Haliburton pounded away near center court and like the Pacers not doubling the post defensively, I was also surprised how they didn’t send a screener to him. Instead, LaMelo Ball reached in and poked the ball across the timeline and time expired.
“He was good,” Haliburton said of Ball’s defense. “He stayed in front, closed in me and made a hell of a play.”
“It was big time,” added Hornets forward Gordon Hayward. “Happy for him that he got the stop. I think it shows that he’s capable so he should do it way more.”