Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have constructed up a little bit of a rivalry with Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks over the previous two seasons. The Pacers most notably eradicated them within the 2023 NBA In-Season Match in addition to within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs, and it is clear that there isn’t a love misplaced between these two groups, particularly within the aftermath of the Giannis Antetokounmpo recreation ball fiasco.
And with the Pacers taking a 3-1 lead of their 2025 NBA playoff matchup, there must be a lot celebration on Haliburton and firm’s finish. However there are merely some issues which are larger than basketball. Within the aftermath of Lillard’s serious-looking damage that many consider is a torn Achilles tendon, Haliburton mentioned that the animosity between them is contained inside the corners of the basketball courtroom and that he needs nothing however the most effective for the Bucks star transferring ahead.
“Earlier than y’all ask any questions. I need to ship my ideas and prayers to Dame. What you see between us is competing. You hate to see that occur particularly to a man who’s went by means of loads and he is given it his all to come back out right here and play after the scary well being problem. It is well-documented, you understand, the love I’ve for that man. So, hate to see that occur to anyone and want him the most effective transferring ahead,” Haliburton mentioned in his postgame presser, by way of Bucks Realm on X (previously Twitter).
Haliburton has been fairly the thorn within the Bucks’ facet over the previous few years, however even probably the most diehard Milwaukee fan can acknowledge that the whole lot everybody has been doing is effectively inside the wholesome spirit of competitors. Too unhealthy the Bucks now will not be capable of give the Pacers their all with Lillard succumbing to damage.
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Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers on the right track to remove Bucks for second straight yr
Some will need to put an asterisk on the Pacers’ playoff run but once more; final yr, they eradicated a Bucks group that was with out Giannis Antetokounmpo within the first spherical of the playoffs. Now, they’re on observe to remove a Bucks group that will likely be with out Damian Lillard for the remainder of the collection.
However playoff groups can solely compete towards the group in entrance of them, and it is not just like the Pacers wished any in poor health in the direction of the Bucks earlier than the collection started. The second spherical is inside attain for Tyrese Haliburton and firm, particularly with the collection shifting again to Indianapolis for Recreation 5 of the collection on Tuesday night time at 6:00 PM E.T.
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