Latest / Bleacher Report / Tyrese Haliburton Talks Game 4 Win vs. Knicks & His Dad Being Back _ 2025 NBA Playoffs

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Tyrese Haliburton Talks Game 4 Win vs. Knicks & His Dad Being Back _ 2025 NBA Playoffs · Bleacher Report

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Good, okay, all right, tell you obviously talked in here
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: the other night that you know, you were expecting to
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: watch the film and see that there was some god
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: ways you could push the pace. Certainly seemed like you
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: did that right out of the gate today. Just what
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: did you kind of see in terms of opportunities that
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: were going to be there, and would you like about
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: how just how you guys were able to create pace
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: and get run and get started.
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I felt like in the fourth quarter last game,
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: we were a little bit more reactive than proactive. You know,
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: they got some guys who can just make some halacious shots,
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: you know, and Kat and JB did that last game,
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: and I felt like those were kind of like, you know,
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: taking the air out of us. We were, you know,
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: kind of signing after everyone walking the ball up today.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: You know, we were just trying to keep pokes on.
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: Who cares, you know, let's get it in and let's run,
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: go right back at them. They're going to make shots.
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: Let's just keep going. So I thought we did a
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: great job of just playing our way, you know, the
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: whole game, keeping pacing the game and just playing pace
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: for basketball. So I thought we did. We responded really well,
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: which we've proven that we do after tough losses really
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: all year and especially in these playoffs. So really proud
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: of our as a group. And yeah, I gotta watch
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: this film see where we can get better. I think
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: there's still in ways for us to get better. You know. Again,
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: they've made some relatious shots again today. You know, g
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: made a big side step there on that left wing.
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: Mchel made some big shots like when you play these guys,
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: the game in over till it hit zero, you know.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: So so we did a great job staying with it
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: and just watched film see what we can get better
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: and you know, get ready for game five.
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: So obviously Rip was just saying he doesn't want to
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: talk too much about, you know, individual statistics, but thirty
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: two fifteen twelve, four steals and zero turnovers. I mean,
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: what what makes your guts proud of just the completeness
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: I guess of that game. What stands out to you
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: about how you're able to put it all together on
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: both ends.
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I was just trying to be aggressive, man, just
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: trying to play my best. You know. I felt like
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: I let the team down in uh in game three,
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: felt like I could have been so much better. So
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: I felt like I responded the right way today, just
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: trying to be aggressive, take what the defense gives me.
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: I felt like I was a little jittery, playing too fast,
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: so trying to calm myself down, especially in the half
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: court in isolations and stuff, trying to you know, just
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: you know, set up down, you know, and then just
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: trying to find guys and just play the right way. Uh,
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: you know, coaches always want me to rebound. Everybody's on
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: me to rebound, So just trying to step up there
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: be the best I could. And you know, everybody's you know,
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: boxing their guy out, you know, especially miss Robinson and
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: Josh Hart. I got so many guys who can just
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: crash the guy ass like Clary, like crazy. Sorry, and
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: I'm just trying to come in and clean it up.
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: And I thought I did a decent job at that.
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: But you know, still a lot of ways for me
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: to get better and us to get better as a group.
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: So none of that's possible without you know, full team effort.
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: About one guy, Ben Math and obviously comes up with
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: twenty making a lot of the shots to seem like
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: you guys wanted to make, making the passes you wanted
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: to make as well, just what did you like about
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: his overall approach, how he kind of got got past
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: a couple of tough games to start this series and
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: basically gave you the kind of offensive performance you guys
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: wanted from them.
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I think he just he settled in. You know,
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: I think obviously this has been you know, he hasn't
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: probably played the you know, the way he wants to
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: this series, and we knew it would just take him
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: to see one go in. You know, when he made
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: the mid range jumper right out of right as soon
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: as he got in the game for me there in
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: the first quarter and had a kill cut, made a
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: you know, a reverse layup. You know, we had to
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: see the ball going. And obviously he's a guy that
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: you know, we've preached, you know, we really missed last
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: year in the playoffs that spark off the bench, and
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: a guy like that comes in, gets gets eleven free throws,
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: really aggressive for us, especially you know in his minutes,
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: just playing the best of his ability. And I think,
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: you know, coming in today, we didn't know if what
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: was going to be needed from him with Aaron status,
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: and I thought I did a great job of just
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: responding playing a great overall game, and yeah, really proud
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  Speaker 2: of him tonight, and you know, we just gotta keep
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: it going.
• 3:37
  Speaker 3: Ty, if you can remove the numbers from it, where
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: did that feel among the best games you've ever played?
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: And what did it mean to do that with your
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: dad back in the building? Yeah, I mean, I don't know.
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: I'll look at that later and reflect on that at
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: a different time, but I think for me, just about winning,
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: you know, I think I just want to be able
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: to prove that I you know, I can respond when
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: when my back's against the wall, when our team's back
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: is against the wall, and you know, this is a
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: big win for us, because you know, if we go
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: back down there to too, you know, it's probably a
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: little different momentum wise. So I felt like we responded
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: the right way. I'm just really proud of our effort
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: as a group, just trying to play the right way,
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  Speaker 2: and I felt like we did that for forty eight
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: minutes and that's why we came away with the win.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: And you know, you can feel good about it for
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: the night, but then you gotta be ready to go
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: for Game five, because you know their backs are against
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: the wall, They're gonna play as desperate as as they
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: as they can as they should. You know, they're gonna
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: come out and throw a punch and throw more punches
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: and more punches, and we just got to be able
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: to respond to those. So I'm really proud of our effort,
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: and you've got to be ready to go next game. Tie.
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: According to some of the research, people are doing the
• 4:39
  Speaker 3: most assists ever to play in a finals game Conference
• 4:41
  Speaker 3: finals without a turnover, and also the most combination point rebounds,
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: assists steals with no turnovers in a game ever.
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: You know, ever, what is that? Did you know that?
• 4:53
  Speaker 3: And what is that like to do that?
• 4:57
  Speaker 2: I mean no, I didn't know that. I feel like
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: we were making up stats at one at some point,
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: uh to make me look better. But I think I'm
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: just trying to play the right way, man. I just
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: want to impact winning. I told you guys that for
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: the last you know, two years, you know, I think
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: after my third year and getting the big contract and
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: now having to step into a new role, I think
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: for me it was about how can I impact winning?
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: And I'm just trying to do that to the best
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: of my ability. We're building something special here. We're having
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: a lot of fun with what we're doing, and you know,
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: I feel like i've I'm at the forefront of that
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: along with you know, a lot of these guys. So
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: I'm just trying to play the right way and uh,
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: play the best of my ability. That's that's what it's about.
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: And I feel like I did a good job today.
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  Speaker 2: But man, I feel like there's so many different opportunities
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  Speaker 2: for me to get better and for us as a
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: group to get better and play better. So we'll take
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: a weekend from this game and just be ready to
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: go for Game five.
• 5:48
  Speaker 4: Okay, okay, Hey, Tyres, I know you said to T
• 5:53
  Speaker 4: and T that having your dad back in the building
• 5:56
  Speaker 4: had something to do with the big game tonight. But
• 5:59
  Speaker 4: you know, you guys blew through Cleveland and then you're
• 6:02
  Speaker 4: having a great series this one. I'm wondering if what
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: went on with him, if that was tough for you,
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  Speaker 4: and just if there were some emotions about having him
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: back in here tonight.
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: Emotions. No. I mean, I'm gonna be honest with you guys. Here,
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: like my dad is just fine, Like he lives just fine.
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: He's at the house watching the game and a beautiful home.
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: Or he's finds his way in some sports bar with
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: a bunch of Pacer fans. My dad is doing just fine.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: I think there was obviously a lot of commentary around him,
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: especially right after, which I think someone was warranted, some
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: went a little too far. But I mean that's just sports.
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: That's just sports, and that's just talking heads. You know what,
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: what can you really do? But I don't think there's
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: really any emotion to it. I just wanted to put
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: on a good performance. You know, I wanted to win
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: the game. You know. Obviously my dad being here it's special,
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: but I mean growing up, like my dad was reughing
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: a lot on the weekend, so he think it's to
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: come to many of my games growing up, So when
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: he would come to my game, I want to play well.
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: So with him being the building, uh, of course I
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: wanted to play well. But I mean we hadn't I know,
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: we're saying free Pops, and Pops is free. But he
• 7:09
  Speaker 2: was not in jail. He happened to be in a
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: very beautiful home, sitting very pretty watching NBA basketball. He's
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: just fine, So uh yeah, I was happy he was
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: in the building. Obviously Triple H is in the building.
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: That might have been a little like I say, it
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: was more special, but Triple H being the building was
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: pretty fire too, and just obviously the the excitement in
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: the city seeing all the former players coming out. You
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: know g Hill, who played to me for a little bit. Uh,
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: Danny Granger, he says, like his first time back in Indy. Uh,
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: that's special. That's special for me. J O in the
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: building obviously, Reggie on commentary, you know, it's it's special.
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: And when you're winning, you can get people out the
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: house to come watch you and support you, you know, so
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: that's really exciting, and it's an exciting time to be
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: a Pacer fan and be a Pacier alumni. And uh,
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: we're just trying to, you know, keep playing the right
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: way and you know, playing the right way for our fans.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: I like the hat too, Joe. The hat's nice, man, Yeah,
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: it's nice. Tod nice Ty. You mentioned having some of
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: the Pacer alum coming to the game. You had to steal.
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: I believe like a third coreter you get up that
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: George Hill.
• 8:12
  Speaker 5: Yeah, what does it mean to kind of be like
• 8:14
  Speaker 5: that tether between what was old and what's now?
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I see g Hill is kind of
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: like one of my vets. You know, he was here
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: with me for a little bit and we do have
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: constant conversation to this day. But you see Lance in
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: the building, you know, Stephen Jackson's the other day, Harrington,
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: Roy Hibbert, DG. Reggie. I mean, all these guys are
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: guys who you know, I've grown up watching, you know,
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: and so you know, when I got trade to the
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: Pacers or just being a basketball fan, you think about
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: all the guys who come before you, you know, and
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: they've you know, tried to help put this organization in
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: a better place than they found it. And that's what
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: I'm trying to do as well. And I know that
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: might be cliche or it might be weird because it's
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: a it's professional sports, you know, it's professional sports. It's
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: not college where you know, it's the NBA. It's a business.
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: But I do think the alumni being here is is
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: really special. I think that's really cool to see throughout
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: our league. You see it there in New York as well,
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: with with all their guys. So it's really cool because
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: I think it's just basketball fans and just fans of
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: the game. You want to see those guys come back
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: and you know, it means a lot that I was able,
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: that we were able as a group to get DG
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: out out the house. You know, I got to meet
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: his kids, Jay always in the building, just many guys
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: who have who have come before me, and you know,
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: to to get to put on that performance in front
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: of them is special. And you know, I think when
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: you're winning, everybody wants to come out the house and
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: be a part of it. So it's very special and
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: it's a lot of fun for me.
• 9:39
  Speaker 5: To the no turnovers again, And obviously you've been a
• 9:41
  Speaker 5: low turnover player. Rick said, you kind of just take
• 9:44
  Speaker 5: pride in that. Just how much pride do you take
• 9:46
  Speaker 5: in it? And just kind of when you operate with
• 9:48
  Speaker 5: the ball as fast as you guys are playing, what
• 9:49
  Speaker 5: does it take for I don't know. You do not
• 9:51
  Speaker 5: turn the ball over ever?
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: Really, yeah, just trying to make the right play man.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: I think, you know, my game is a little an orthodox.
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: I jumped to pass probably more than anybody in the NBA.
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: But I mean I work on that stuff. That's how
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: I've worked my whole life to play the game. So
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: I take pride and take care of the ball. I
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: feel like the more we take care of the ball.
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: As a team, the more opportunities we get to shoot
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: the ball. I feel like the more shots we get
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: in a game, the better opportunity we have to win.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: So I take pride in that I'd rather do really
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: anything else on a basketball court than turn the ball over.
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: But I mean, there's some games that are good, there's
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: some games that are bad. But I'm just trying to
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: play the right way. And in a time like right now,
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: I don't have time to second guess my game or
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: or anything. All that's out the window. It's about winning.
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: And you know, I feel like if I can take
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: care of the ball, I put us in the best
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: situation to win. And you know, I feel like I
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: did a good job of that today, But still I
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: feel like there's a lot of room for me to
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: improve on my performance tonight. Really, us as a group,
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: like we feel like we played well, got a big win,
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: but we know it's a lot for us to get
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: better at. And so we got to be ready to
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: go Game five. They're gonna come out a lot of energy,
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: energy and building is going to be a lot of fun,
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: and we gotta be ready to go