Game 7 isn't what haunts Tyrese Haliburton the most about in the 2025 NBA Finals
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton said Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals isn't what haunts him the most about that series. He told The Ringer what is
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton joined the Zach Lowe Show on Friday and shared that tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals isn't the only thing that haunts him the most about that series.
"I think a lot more about Game 4," said Haliburton, who wore a Fever shirt for the 30-minute interview on The Ringer. "We were winning going into the fourth (quarter, 87-80).
"There were a lot of 1-on-1 possessions between me and (Thunder center) Chet (Holmgren). Elite defender (but) you wish you could get those back, make a better decision, make a better play. I was at my peak in terms of closing. It was four points with (3:20 to play). Closing time. Time to win. I could have done a much better job closing that game."
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Haliburton missed a layup with the Pacers ahead, 95-93, then made a layup to put them back up 97-95. A pair of Haliburton free throws had Indiana back up 99-97 but he followed with a missed 3-pointer. The Pacers were up 103-99 with 3:20 to play but Haliburton missed a 3 with 1:43 remaining after Oklahoma City had taken a 105-103 lead. The Pacers wouldn't get any closer.
"If we go up 3-1 the pressure of Game 5 changes," Haliburton said of losing Game 4 to tie the series. "That's when I re-aggravated the calf injury. That series was about who could win two in a row. Game 4, we lose that game and lose Game 5, first time we lost two in a row since (March).
"That's the game I wish I could get back more than anything."
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