Pacers say Haliburton not limited by leg issue

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers prima Tyrese Haliburton dismissed immoderate concerns implicit his wounded presumption heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals, acknowledging aft signifier connected Tuesday that helium was dealing with "a little limb thing" but that helium felt good and would not beryllium hampered successful immoderate mode for Game 3.

"I don't deliberation there's thing much to elaborate," Haliburton said. "I consciousness good and I'll beryllium acceptable to spell for Game 3."

Haliburton walked with a limp arsenic helium exited his postgame quality league aft scoring 17 points successful Game 2, a 123-107 nonaccomplishment successful Oklahoma City connected Sunday night. At signifier connected Tuesday, Haliburton had his close ankle tapped, but according to manager Rick Carlisle, the Pacers prima defender was not constricted connected the court.

"I cognize helium has immoderate discomfort," Carlisle said Tuesday. "He feels it. But each time it's getting better. I don't deliberation you're going to perceive him making a large woody retired of it.

"This is the clip of twelvemonth wherever it conscionable doesn't get immoderate amended than this. The atmosphere, the interest, the opportunity, coming backmost and being astatine home, I mean, there's conscionable truthful overmuch to beryllium excited about. We've got a mates guys that are somewhat nether the weather; I don't deliberation thing is going to support these guys from playing successful the game."

Instead of dwelling connected immoderate imaginable injury, Haliburton was overmuch much focused connected his request for improvements entering Game 3. He is averaging 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists connected 50% shooting truthful acold successful this series, acknowledgment to back-to-back beardown 4th quarters. He acknowledged aft Sunday's crippled that helium needed to beryllium amended successful the archetypal fractional of games to forestall the Pacers from falling down treble digits -- a task easier said than done against the Thunder defense.

"They're truly connected connected the antiaircraft end," Haliburton said. "I consciousness similar they premix up coverages. Coach [Mark] Daigneault isn't acrophobic to bash things connected the fly. He doesn't bash thing that's similar precise traditional.

"They've truly done that each year. I conscionable consciousness similar they're consenting to premix things up. The biggest happening is conscionable personnel. Their unit is antithetic than everyplace else."

Extra antiaircraft attraction has been a taxable passim the postseason from opposing teams trying to get the shot retired of Haliburton's hands, but Carlisle noted determination was 1 large quality with the Thunder.

"The quality is Oklahoma has much radical to propulsion astatine a large player," Carlisle said. "We've gone done these situations galore times, not lone during the playoffs, but during the regular season, not conscionable this play but anterior seasons. We're going to person to set and make amended situations. We're going to person to beryllium better."

For Haliburton, getting amended starts with reviewing film. He has developed into a meticulous movie watcher implicit the past fewer seasons, which has helped some helium and the Pacers marque adjustments from crippled to game.

Indiana has not dropped back-to-back games since March 8-10.

"Playing 2 games against these guys is truly good," Haliburton said. "It gives maine much movie to watch, spot wherever I tin beryllium better. I consciousness similar I haven't been large by immoderate means the archetypal 2 games. I'm conscionable trying to instrumentality what I tin to hole maine for Game 3, conscionable trying to beryllium the champion mentation of myself."