On Saturday, the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the series and sending them to their first NBA Finals in exactly two and a half decades.
Leading the charge was Tyrese Haliburton, who put up 21 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field to go with two 3-pointers, 13 assists, six rebounds, and three steals. 11 of those 21 points came in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Haliburton may not have come away with Eastern Conference Finals MVP, but he played an instrumental role in helping the Pacers make their second NBA Finals appearance as a franchise.
Among those who took notice of Haliburton’s play was Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson. Following the Pacers’ victory, Johnson took to his personal X account to shout out Haliburton for his performance against the Knicks:
“Haliburton dominated the New York Knicks in the Fourth Quarter with the pick-and-roll play last night! He was virtually unstoppable. He either scored or had a great pass to score!”
Not only did Haliburton’s scoring come mostly in the fourth quarter, but his passing did too, as four of his 13 assists were also in the final quarter of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Haliburton clearly saved his best for last in Game 6, and it played a role in ending the Knicks’ season. If there’s a player who knows what that takes, it’s Johnson, who guided the Lakers to five titles and nine NBA Finals appearances from 1980 to 1991.
