From ‘Overrated’ to Unstoppable: Tyrese Halliburton Leads Historic Pacers Comeback Over Cavaliers

Final Score: Indiana Pacers 111 – Cleveland Cavaliers 109

1. Against the Odds: A Historic Comeback

Teams were 2–1,640 in the play-by-play era (since 1997) when trailing by 7+ points in the final minute of regulation and overtime.

The Pacers became just the third team to win under those conditions—an almost impossible feat.

2. Halliburton’s Response to the “Overrated” Label

A week after being voted “Most Overrated” in an anonymous player poll, Tyrese Halliburton silenced critics:

Scored the final 5 points in OT
Hit the game-winning stepback
Secured a key offensive rebound
Stayed calm after missing a free throw, sealing the win

3. Final Minute Execution

Aaron Nesmith: Crucial putback
Donovan Mitchell: Offensive foul
Pascal Siakam: Slashing layup cut the lead to 3
Max Strus: Turnover on a blown inbound
Halliburton: He missed the second free throw, grabbed his own rebound, dribbled out of traffic, stepped behind the three-point line, and sank the shot to end the game.

4. Controversial Hustle Play

Halliburton may have entered the lane early on his missed free throw.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the potential violation:

“I think he was in early… if they missed that, that’s a big one.”

No whistle. Play stood.

5. Postgame Maturity

Halliburton addressed the poll without flinching:

“That label’s there now… I just control what I can.”

No complaints—just performance.

6. Clutch Resume & Series Impact

Halliburton leads the league in clutch scoring over his last 3 playoff games and is tied for first in assists.

The Pacers now lead the series 2–0. The Cavs, after back-to-back late collapses, are in a deep hole.

Expert Analysis:

Halliburton’s Poise Under Fire

This wasn’t just scoring—it was leadership, control, and presence.
He rebounded his own miss, calmed the offense, and made the right reads.
Redemption wasn’t given. He took it.

Team Contribution

Nesmith’s grit, Siakam’s drives, and Indiana’s team defense built the foundation.
Rick Carlisle’s trust in Halliburton to close showed the Pacers’ unity.

Cleveland’s Collapse

Mitchell dropped 48 points, his third playoff loss with 45+ (tied second-most all-time behind MJ).
He had no help late—Garland and Strus disappeared, and Cleveland’s offense froze.

“He should’ve told the crowd to stop chanting ‘overrated’ at that man.”

“Luck” Defined

An analyst said it best:

“Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.”

Indiana didn’t luck into this win—they created it through hustle, execution, and trust.

Fourth Quarter Key Stats:

11 Second-Chance Points – Extra effort from Nesmith and Siakam
96 Points in the Paint (9-of-6 phrasing removed) – Relentless rim attacks
Cavs: 0 Field Goals in Final Minutes – Total offensive collapse under pressure

The Shot: Halliburton’s Signature Moment

Second in the league in distance created off stepbacks, he crafted 5–6 feet of space with a single move.
The shot arced cleanly over defenders, silencing the “Overrated” chants and the Cleveland crowd.

“When it dropped, I couldn’t believe it… Did he just do that?”

Series History: Cavs in Deep Trouble

This marks the 32nd time a team has lost the first two games of a best-of-seven at home (excluding the bubble).
Only 5 of the previous 31 have come back to win the series.

Postgame – Mitchell Speaks

“We can sit here and dwell… or move on. There will be two wins in Indiana.”

But the Cavs look battered—mentally and physically.

Final Takeaways:

Halliburton isn’t overrated—he’s arrived.
The Pacers are surging.
Cleveland’s cracks are showing.

This wasn’t a fluke. It was a masterclass in clutch performance.