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Tyrese Haliburton Gave Dejected Response to Inevitability of LeBron Buzzer-Beater

The Pacers were on the wrong side of a close game this time.

Eva Geitheim

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts to the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts to the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has recently been on the winning side of close, down-to-the-wire games. Over the last 10 days, Haliburton and the Pacers have won two games in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets, and earlier in March, Haliburton even hit an incredible game-winning three-point shot over Giannis Antetokounmpo to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of the game.

Unfortunately for Haliburton, the tables turned in their game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. The Pacers successfully came back against the Lakers to take a 119-118 lead with seconds remaining in the game, but LeBron James tipped in a basket in the final second to give the Lakers the one-point win. Not only were the Pacers on the wrong side of a close game for once, but Haliburton lost on a buzzer-beater for the first time in his career.

"It's my first time ever being walked off in the NBA," Haliburton told reporters after the game. "It's only fitting that it's [LeBron]. It's him there. Obviously a great player, him, Luka and Austin are really tough to guard there down the stretch. I thought we did a good job, but part of the fun and the back and forth of the NBA. Enjoyed competing against those guys, yeah, just a lot of fun."

Though the loss ended the Pacers' five-game winning streak and dropped the team to 42-30 in the Eastern Conference standings, they are still currently the fourth seed in the East, and 1.5 games ahead of the Detroit Pistons. The Pacers will next face the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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