Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton put on a show Tuesday night, recording a mind-blowing triple-double – 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists without a single turnover – leading the Pacers to a 130-121 home win over the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
This wasn’t just any triple-double. The 25-year-old made NBA history as the first player ever to put up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists without a turnover in a playoff game since turnovers started being tracked in 1977-78.
That’s right – nobody has ever done this before.
Haliburton joined some elite company too. Only Denver’s three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson have ever posted at least 30 points, 10 boards, and 15 assists in a playoff game.
“I’m just trying to play the right way. I just want to impact winning,” Haliburton said after the game.
The first half alone was historic. Haliburton became just the second player since 1998 to record at least 20 points, five rebounds, and 10 assists in a single playoff half, joining Russell Westbrook in that exclusive club.
“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Haliburton explained. “Just trying to play my best. I felt like I let the team down in Game 3. I could have been so much better. And I felt like I responded the right way today.”
What made the night even more special? His dad was back in the building.
John Haliburton returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the first time since the opening round after missing eight playoff games. He had been absent after confronting Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo following his son’s last-second shot at the end of their first-round series.
The Pacers allowed John to return for Game 4, watching from a suite as his son made history.
While Tyrese was happy to have his father back, he seemed more focused on the team’s bounce-back performance after their disappointing Game 3 loss.
“I just want to be able to prove that I can respond when my back’s against the wall, when our team’s back is against the wall,” he said. “This is a big win for us because if we go back down there 2-2, it’s a little different momentum-wise.”
His passing was nearly perfect all night.
The Pacers scored 33 points on 14-of-22 shooting (63.6%) directly from Haliburton’s passes. He shot efficiently himself too, going 11-of-23 from the floor, 5-of-12 from three-point range, and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line in his 37 minutes.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t surprised by the zero-turnover performance.
“It’s pretty remarkable, but this has become his thing,” Carlisle said. “There will be a new statistical category, perhaps, named after him somewhere down the line.”
Carlisle put Haliburton in elite company: “Him and Chris Paul, these guys, there aren’t a lot of guys. I know Stockton didn’t turn it over much back when he played, LeBron James didn’t turn it over very much. You can go right down the line, some of the all-time greats. And so I know he takes great pride in it and that’s a motivating factor.”
The series now shifts back to New York, where the Knicks will host Indiana for Game 5 on Thursday night.
