After failing to close out the Knicks in Game 5 with a 3-1 series lead, all the pressure seemingly turns to the Pacers to finish New York off at home and avoid a potential Game 7 where anything could happen.
But while Indiana had its lowest-scoring performance of the postseason Thursday night, Tyrese Haliburton isn’t worried.
“We’re a resilient group. We always want to respond when things don’t go well,” the star Pacers point guard said.
“We understand what the stakes are and we understand the conversation — what it’ll be around our group. But we’re fine. We’re fine. There’s no need to panic or anything.”
The Pacers’ resiliency has been on display down the stretch this season, as they haven’t lost back-to-back games since early March when they lost three straight games, with two coming against the Hawks and one to the Bulls.
But Indiana will need a major bounce-back in Game 6 to stave off a possible Game 7 back in New York at MSG.
And it will start with Haliburton, who followed up his historic 32-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound, zero-turnover performance with a complete dud, posting eight points and six assists.
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“I’ve got to be better setting the tone, getting downhill, I feel like I didn’t do a great job at that,” he said. “There were some different things they did defensively but for the most part I think their base stuff was the same. They picked up the pressure a little more … I’ve got to be better and I will be better in Game 6.”
The last time Haliburton posted such a stinker of a statline was last round against the Cavaliers when he tallied just four points and five assists in Game 3, where the Pacers lost their only game of the series.
He followed that game up with a pedestrian 11 points, five rebounds and five assists in Game 4 before turning up the heat in Game 5 with 31 points, eight assists and six rebounds to close out Cleveland.
“I have the most confidence in myself and our group to play to our ability in Game 6,” Haliburton said. “I don’t think there’s any need to panic by any means. We get another game to go back at home and attack these guys and get better, so I look forward to Game 6 and we’ll be prepared.”