“Thought that was a 3” – Tyrese Haliburton admits he misjudged the Reggie Miller choke celebration before OT

Tyrese Haliburton thought he had won Game 1 for the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. The point guard drove into the lane before scurrying back to launch a 23-footer. Haliburton’s right foot stepped on the 3-point line, resulting in a two-point basket and sending the game to overtime following a 125-125 tie.

In a courtside interview after the game, Haliburton explained what happened during that play.

“I was going for the 2 (points) and then Mikal (Bridges) hit the ball,” he said. “I didn’t know how much time left, so I just tried to gather myself and knock the shot down. I thought it was a 3. I tried to hit the celly and it didn’t work, but we finished it in overtime.”

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The Pacers' bench erupted and ran on the court to celebrate with Tyrese Haliburton, who brought out Reggie Miller’s iconic choke gesture. After review, the referees confirmed it was a 2-point basket, dampening the wild celebration.

Miller made the same gesture during Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals after scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter against the Knicks at MSG.

Once the extra five-minute period started, Haliburton got back to work. With help from Andrew Nembhard, who scored seven points in overtime, the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 138-135 to steal Game 1 on the road.

Tyrese Haliburton praises Pacers' “resilience” but shows concern about Knicks’ rebounding dominance

Tyrese Haliburton expressed relief and praised his team for its “resilience” in finding “random and unique” ways to win. Still, the point guard noted how the Knicks dominated one area before wilting late in the fourth quarter.

Haliburton shared some of his concerns despite the thrilling win.

“There’s a lot for us to improve on,." he said. "I don’t know what the final rebounding number was, but they dominated us there. That’s an area where we want to be great and we weren’t good today.”

The Knicks won the rebounding battle 46-39, including 13-11 in offensive boards, against Haliburton and Co. In a seesaw battle, New York’s rebounding dominance could have been costly for Indiana. Haliburton vowed to do better, along with his teammates, in Game 2.

The Pacers will try to take a 2-0 series lead when they face the Knicks again on Friday at MSG.

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About the author

Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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