The Oklahoma City Thunder are one game away from glory after winning a 3-2 series lead in a victory at Paycom Center to protect their home courts.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a double double with 31 points and 10 assists, while Jalen Williams scored the top score with 40 points as Chet Holmgren joined the defensive clinic.
But that was Tyrese Halliburton’s performance, or lack of it, with the Indiana Pacers talisman finishing at 0 FGM and attempting only six shots in total.
Stephen A. Smith acknowledged the post-game struggle for Halliburton, but he couldn’t understand why his head coach Rick Carlisle ignored his teammate “staying in the game.”
Halliburton was a savior in the Indiana Pacers’ fairytale run, where clutch shots and leadership came to the fore.
However, the Thunder’s offensive defense and running finally put the pacer on the brink, summarising it into Halliburton’s struggle in Game 5.
He couldn’t buy a bucket and finished with zero blocks and stealing, so no impact on the game either.
His +/- was second in the team behind Obitoppin alone, but still played 34 minutes. According to Stephen A. Smith, he played a lot at the expense of TJ McConnell, which Carlisle didn’t use often.
Smith said:
“The way TJ McConnell was playing, he kept them in this game. When Halliburton was hurt, I’m leaving TJ McConnell in the game.
“I’m not taking him out of the game with his appearance, combined with the way Halliburton looks.
McConnell played only 22 minutes, but finished as the Pacers’ second-highest scorer, scoring 18 points on 57% shooting from the field.
On top of that, his two steels, four rebounds, and his offensive plays across the board, and Carlisle’s decision to limit his minutes to just 22 is questionable.
That decision went from questionable to boundary vulnerability after the Pacers head coach admitted after the game.
He said: “He’s not 100%. That’s pretty clear. We were worried at halftime. He insisted on playing. He still made a lot of good things happen. But he’s not 100%.”
Carlisle said Halliburton is calling for 34 minutes to be confused, not 100% of injuries.
If the Pacers didn’t have the option to replace him, then it would be somewhat understandable if not only Carlisle had McConnell, but that option also had a hot hand and could become a different maker.
The finals are always coming down to these small margins, and unfortunately for the Pacers, they’re doing this wrong and can have a ruthless end to the fairytale run.