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Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior Writer
NEW YORK — Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton is promising a bounce-back performance in Wednesday’s Game 2 after an uncharacteristic low-impact performance to start the second-round series against the New York Knicks.
Haliburton took just six shots, only one from inside the 3-point line, and scored six points as the Knicks rallied from nine points down in the fourth quarter to win 121-117 in Monday’s Game 1.
It was his second-fewest attempts in a game this season after a game in January when he left in the first half because of an injury.
The Knicks’ game plan included trying to deny him the ball at times, but there were several moments when Haliburton appeared timid when shot opportunities presented themselves. He did have eight assists, three fewer than his NBA-leading average of 11 per game during the regular season, and four steals.
“I erred on the side of playmaking … and that wasn’t the right decision for me,” Haliburton said Tuesday following the team’s practice. “I still got to be who I am, but yeah, I’ll just be better tomorrow.”
In speaking with the media for seven minutes, Haliburton said he’d “be better” on 13 different occasions — clearly, the theme of the preparation for Game 2. But Haliburton is dealing with back spasms and remains listed as questionable on the injury report for Game 2, as he was entering the series. He is planning to play, but the injury might be affecting him more than he is letting on. His aggression has noticeably been reduced since his back, which he has had occasional issues with since he was in high school, flared up recently.
“At this time of year everybody’s got something going and he’s working at it, doing everything he can to keep himself feeling as good as possible,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “I’m confident he’ll play, but it’s a concern.”
Over the past five games, two-thirds of Haliburton’s attempts have been 3-pointers, and he has taken a total of seven free throws in seven playoff games. Carlisle said it was on him to help Haliburton get going, but the Pacers’ offense was good enough to win Game 1 even with the team’s franchise player struggling.
The challenge of dealing with a poor performance in a high-stakes loss and the scrutiny that comes with it as a star are part of the process for Haliburton. He’s playing in the playoffs for the first time in what has already been a breakout season.
“[This] is everything I’ve ever asked for. I’ve always wanted to play in the playoffs,” he said. “The world ain’t ending. We lost one game. I understand that we have an opportunity to get another one tomorrow and go home 1-1, so I’m not hitting a panic button or alarm or anything.”