Tyrese Haliburton delivered an unforgettable performance on Tuesday, guiding the Indiana Pacers to a 130-121 victory over the New York Knicks. This win puts the Pacers just one game away from securing a spot in the NBA Finals. Haliburton’s 32 points, 15 assists, and career-high 12 rebounds made history, as he became the first player in NBA playoff history to record a 30-15-10 stat line without committing a single turnover.

After a disappointing loss in Game 3, where Indiana squandered a commanding 20-point lead, Haliburton came out strong, determined to bounce back. “I felt like I let the team down in Game 3, so it was important to come out here and just make plays,” Haliburton said. “Guys put me in a position to make plays and play my game, and man, it’s a big win for us.”

Indiana now leads the series 3-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals. Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday at Madison Square Garden in New York, and Haliburton is ready for the challenge. “I’m excited about it. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he shared. “It’s a tough environment to play in. We’ve got to be ready.”

The winner of this series will face either Oklahoma City or Minnesota in the NBA Finals, starting June 5.

Haliburton’s father, who had been banned from attending games for a month following an incident with Giannis Antetokounmpo, was in attendance for this game. Haliburton expressed his gratitude, saying, “Hell yeah. I’m glad Pop is in the building. It makes it that much sweeter. He had a little bit to do with it.”

Indiana’s success wasn’t solely on Haliburton’s shoulders. Pascal Siakam contributed 30 points, while Bennedict Mathurin added 20 points off the bench. “We just wanted to come out with more energy, more urgency,” Siakam said. “I thought we did that from the beginning. They made runs, but we stuck to our game plan.” Coach Rick Carlisle praised Mathurin’s impact, noting, “He was great. He gave us a huge lift.”

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 12 rebounds. Despite their efforts, New York’s 17 turnovers ultimately hurt their chances. “Our defense wasn’t good enough,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “Our defense and turnovers probably hurt us. The important thing is to reset.”

Towns, who suffered a left knee injury during the game, was able to return to action, but his status will be evaluated moving forward.

Indiana’s last NBA Finals appearance was in 2000, though they’ve yet to capture a championship. Meanwhile, the Knicks, now facing elimination, haven’t made the Finals since 1999 and last won the title in 1973.

Haliburton’s performance included four steals and shooting 11-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-12 from beyond the arc. “To not have any turnovers is pretty remarkable,” Coach Carlisle said. “I know he takes great pride in it. That’s a motivating factor.”

The Pacers led by eight at halftime and extended their advantage to 102-91 heading into the fourth quarter. New York made a brief push, closing the gap to 115-109, but Obi Toppin’s three-pointer in the final minute sealed Indiana’s victory, making it a 126-116 lead with 46 seconds remaining.

With the Pacers on the brink of their first Finals appearance in over two decades, and the Knicks fighting for their postseason lives, all eyes are on Game 5 for what promises to be an exciting, do-or-die showdown.