'We wanted to do it for Indy': Pacers' dream postseason comes to end in Game 7 loss

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Indiana Pacers saw their dream postseason run come to an end in Game 7.




The Oklahoma City Thunder used a dominant third quarter to take control of the game and finally put away the pesky upstarts, 103-91.




The game took a heartbreaking turn in the first quarter, when star guard Tyrese Haliburton, playing with a calf strain, aggravated the injury and fell. He pounded on the floor and yelled in anguish before staff and players helped him to the locker room.

It was a gut punch of a moment for a franchise that had accomplished some much by advancing to the NBA Finals and forcing the decisive Game 7 in the first place. His father, John Haliburton, said his son suffered an Achilles injury.




Haliburton had scored 9 points on 3-4 shooting from three-point range before the injury.




The Pacers responded in business-like fashion, calmly staying in the game and taking a one-point lead at the half.




Without Haliburton in the lineup, the Thunder cranked up the defensive intensity in the third quarter and the Pacers couldn't take care of the ball. OKC also found its offense, outscoring the Pacers 34-20 in the period. The Thunder pushed the lead to 22 in the fourth quarter.




The Pacers fought back, but the lead and loss of their on-court leader were insurmountable.

'All of our hearts dropped'

"This was a great series," coach Rick Carlisle said after the game. "I am so proud of our players. So proud of our organization. Our fans showed up big time tonight. It was really moving."




Make no mistake: Haliburton's loss weighed heavily on the team.




"What happened with Tyrese... just all of our hearts dropped. He will be back. I don't have any medical information of what may or may not have happened, but he will be back in time," Carlisle said. "I believe he will make a full recovery."




Haliburton was the catalyst for a memorable postseason run. He hit clutch shots during improbable wins in each series and played through the calf strain in Game 6.




"He (Tyrese) authored one of the great individual playoff runs in the history of the NBA with dramatic after dramatic play. It's something nobody has ever seen," Carlisle said. "And did it as one of 17 [players]. That's the beautiful thing about him. As great of a player as he is--it is always a team thing."




The Pacers never wavered in their belief. Even with Haliburton down, they played on.




"He was in the locker room and he was very much part of a group that believed they could do this," Carlisle said. "Nembhard hit the shot at the end of the first half to give us the one-point lead and then we needed to come out of the locker room and be better in the first five minutes of the third quarter and we just weren't."




The Pacers fought until the end. A few shots here and fewer turnovers there, and things may have played out differently, even with their star injured. Ultimately, the third quarter struggles were too much to overcome.




"Just a tremendous amount of gratitude for the character, the skill, how together they were, how hard they continued to fight no matter what," Carlisle said. "You don't author comebacks like this team did really over the course of the entire season without an indomitable competitive spirit to just fight together and that's what they were and that's what they did."

'They were the better team today'

Reserve guard TJ McConnell did his level best to keep Indiana in the game. He finished with 16 points and scored 12 of them in the third quarter.




"I thought we were fine," McConnell said. "I don't even remember the score going into halftime, but we were up one. I thought we did a good job of compartmentalizing it. Obviously, we missed him, but we all are devastated for him and obviously support him."




McConnell conceded there were no moral victories. The Game 7 loss was deflating.




"There is no award for second place, obviously," he said. "Everyone is upset but hats off to OKC. They were the better team today."




It came as no surprise to McConnell to see the ailing Haliburton attempt to inspire his team. Even though he was injured, Haliburton greeted the team at halftime and encouraged them to finish the job.




"That is just who Ty is-to go down like that and be selfless and just continuing to cheer for us even though he can't play," he said. "I think that just speaks volumes to who Tyrese Haliburton is-one of the greatest human beings I have come into contact with. Great teammate."




There was zero quit in the Pacers, but McConnell conceded the Thunder's defensive pressure was a major factor. He finished the game with 7 turnovers; the Pacers turned it over 23 times as a team.




"I think up until they went on their run, we were moving the ball, taking care of it. I didn't take care of it so well, obviously. Their pressure can really get to you, but I was just trying to be aggressive and had some uncharacteristic turnovers and that happens," he said.




"Just proud of the fight. We fought till the end but credit OKC, they're just really good."

'We wanted to do it for Indy'

Pascal Siakam finished with 16 points. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP was a key offensive and defensive cog for the Pacers during their memorable run.




Like Carlisle and McConnell, he felt Haliburton's loss.




"He did some incredible things this whole playoff run and this whole year. I am just super proud of him. Obviously, it hurts. It hurts because we couldn't get it done and I wanted it so bad for him because I know he gave us everything, everything he had... and it just hurts that he couldn't see it through with us," Siakam said.




"I know there is more. There is more coming. It's just a tough situation. We are all behind him. He was in the locker room talking to everyone and just how selfless he is," Siakam said. "He is going through some tough times and he looked out for us and wanted to be there for us."




Siakam admitted, just a couple years ago, he wasn't enjoying basketball. The Toronto Raptors, having won the title in 2019, went into a tailspin that put him what he described as a "dark" place.




The trade that brought him to Indiana changed everything.




"I got traded here and these guys just gave me a boost. It started with Ty, obviously. Just playing with these guys has been so incredible," Siakam said. "Finding my joy for the game. Just playing with so much swagger and happiness-that's what I want to do as a player, man. I lost that for a while and it's just so incredible that I came to a team with these guys."




Siakam knows the team accomplished some amazing things this season. He rediscovered his joy for the game. Falling short hurts.




"I think we did (it) the right way. That is something I can proudly say. No shortcuts. We said this all year-we are not a sexy team. We are not a team that everyone wants to watch," he said. "And for a while Indy was just like, nobody cares and we made people care and that is something to be proud of."




Siakam said support from Pacers fans has been incredible. Gainbridge Fieldhouse was the loudest it's ever been during the playoff run, and a fair number of Indiana fans in gold were visible at the Paycom Center for Game 7.




"We are sorry. We wanted to do it for Indy," Siakam said. "We wanted it more than anything just for the city, for the state just because they deserve it. These guys sleep, breathe basketball."



via: https://fox59.com/sports/pacers/we-wanted-to-do-it-for-indy-pacers-dream-postseason-comes-to-end-in-game-7-loss/