Tyrese Haliburton Explodes in Third Quarter, Leads Pacers to Victory

Tyrese Haliburton put on a dazzling display in the third quarter, scoring 16 of his 28 points in a 2½-minute span, as the Indiana Pacers cruised to a 136-98 victory over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Paris Games finale on Saturday.

Haliburton’s scoring outburst helped the Pacers break open a close game and take control in the second half. After leading by just 15 points at halftime, Indiana fell behind by one in the third quarter before Haliburton took over.

Haliburton’s Hot Shooting Fuels Pacers’ Run

Haliburton was unstoppable in the third quarter, shooting 6-for-6 from the field, including four 3-pointers. His hot shooting sparked a 7-of-8 run by the Pacers to end the quarter, giving them a comfortable lead heading into the fourth.

“Felt like a rare air, for sure,” said Haliburton of his performance. “It was a good feeling.”

Pacers Dominate in Second Half

The Pacers continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs 33-21 to seal the victory. Pascal Siakam added 23 points for Indiana, while Andrew Nembhard chipped in with 15, Myles Turner had 14, Bennedict Mathurin 13, and T.J. McConnell 12.

Wembanyama Held in Check

Victor Wembanyama, the highly touted French prospect, finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, but he was held in check by the Pacers’ defense for much of the game. Wembanyama shot just 7-of-16 from the field and had two turnovers.

Despite the loss, Wembanyama received a warm ovation from the crowd in his homeland. He finished the two-game series with averages of 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.

Spurs Unable to Sweep Series

The loss marked the fourth time this season that the Spurs have played a two-game series against the same opponent and failed to sweep. They went 1-1 against Houston and Denver, 0-2 against Memphis, and now 1-1 against Indiana.

The Spurs will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they host the LA Clippers. The Pacers will also play on Wednesday, facing the Detroit Pistons at home.