Rick Carlisle Defends Tyrese Haliburton's Quiet Performance in Game 2 Loss vs. Thunder

Ryan Phillips | Jun 8, 2025

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points, three rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Tyrese Haliburton didn't have a great showing in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, but his coach is sticking up for him.

Haliburton finished the game with 17 points, six assists, three rebounds, two stealsand two blocks, but also turned it over five times in the Indiana Pacers' 123–107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 25-year-old hit 7 of 13 shots from the field and was 3 of 8 from three-point range. But of those 17 points, 12 came in the fourth quarter, which was never competitive. Oklahoma City entered the final frame with a 93–74 lead.

It wasn't a signature game for Haliburton, who won Game 1 with an incredible last-second shot.

After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defended his star point guard.

"There's a lot more to the game than just scoring. Everybody's got to do more," Carlisle said.

That's a fair point, and across the board, Indiana came up short on Sunday night. That said, Haliburton's counterpart was excellent. Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, setting an NBA record in the process.

The Pacers will need more from Haliburton if they want to win this series.

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