Pacers Tyrese Haliburton Says Game 4 Will Be Decided by One Player

Despite nine-time All-Star Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo submitting historically elite output against the Indiana Pacers in the first two contests of the club's ongoing first round playoff series, the Pacers had looked thoroughly dominant in all facets for Games 1 and 2 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, both Indiana victories.

In Game 3, fissures started to show.

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With the series relocating to Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum, head coach Doc Rivers made a surprise lineup change, inserting shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. into his starting lineup. Trent and Antetokounmpo each scored 37 points apiece, the first time in Bucks franchise history that that's happened in a playoff game.

Indiana failed to curb Trent's shooting spree (he made nine triples), and the Bucks ultimately won, 117-101, to really make this a series on Friday.

Per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, two-time All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton believes one player in particular needs to step up in Game 4: Tyrese Haliburton.

Got a ways to go before Pacers-Bucks Game 4, but some stuff to read. On how Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner struggled in Game 3 and the Bucks' defensive improvement in general and against them in particular: https://t.co/VtpF1YyKYg
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) April 27, 2025

"We have to do a better job of getting downhill, playing faster," Haliburton said. "It starts with me. I have to be better. I'll be better in Game 4."

The 6-foot-5 Fresno State product scored 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the floor (4-of-9 shooting from the 3-point line), 10 assists, seven rebounds and one block. Those are totally respectable numbers, but the Pacers' pace-and-space approach was curbed significantly by Milwaukee in the contest.

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Per the Bucks, Antetokounmpo has emerged as the first NBA player ever to have notched 30 or more points on 60 percent field goal shooting and 10 or more rebounds across his first three playoff contests. And his team still trails this series 1-2.

Giannis is the first player in NBA history to open a postseason with three straight games of 30+ PTS, 10+ REB and 60% FG. pic.twitter.com/3cTWeLXCFu
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 26, 2025

For the series, Haliburton is averaging 15.0 points on .372/.269/.750 shooting splits, 11.3 assists, and 6.4 rebounds. That scoring mark is a far cry from his season average of 18.6 points on a .473/.388/.851 slash line.

Now, the Pacers — and Haliburton — will have a critical opportunity to avenge Game 3 with a Game 4 rematch on Sunday in Milwaukee.

The matchup is slated to tip off later than usual, thanks to a packed Sunday of playoff matchups, at 8:30 p.m. CT.

More Indiana Pacers News:

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Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle Talks Concern in Tyrese Haliburton Game 1 Struggles

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