· Sports · 2 min read
Haliburton’s Heroics Steal Game 2 for Pacers in Wild Finish Against Cavaliers
Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch step-back three with 1.1 seconds left capped a stunning 120-119 comeback victory for the Indiana Pacers over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2
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Pacers Stun Cavaliers with Haliburton’s Clutch Three in Game 2 Thriller
The Indiana Pacers pulled off a jaw-dropping 120-119 victory over the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on May 6, 2025, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead. The game’s final moments were nothing short of electrifying, capped by a game-winning three-pointer from Tyrese Haliburton that left fans and players alike in disbelief.
Trailing by 20 points earlier in the game and down 117-110 with just over a minute remaining, the Pacers mounted a furious comeback. The turning point came when Andrew Nembhard intercepted an errant inbounds pass from Cleveland’s Max Strus with 27.5 seconds left. Indiana capitalized on the miscue, setting the stage for Haliburton’s heroics. With 12.4 seconds on the clock, Haliburton was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. He made the first but missed the second, only to grab his own rebound. Resetting at midcourt, he drained a step-back three with 1.1 seconds remaining, flipping a one-point deficit into a one-point lead.
“It was chaos, but I knew I had to stay calm,” Haliburton said postgame. “We’ve been in tight spots before, and this team just doesn’t quit.” His 19 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, underscored his reputation as a clutch performer.
The Cavaliers, shorthanded without starters Darius Garland (toe) and Evan Mobley (ankle) and reserve De’Andre Hunter (thumb), leaned heavily on Donovan Mitchell, who poured in a playoff-career-high 48 points. Despite his brilliance, Cleveland faltered late, with mental lapses and missed opportunities costing them. “We outplayed them for most of the game, but those final mistakes were killers,” said Cavs center Jarrett Allen, who added 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Social media erupted, with posts on X calling the ending “insane” and debating whether Haliburton traveled on his step-back. The Pacers, now the first team since 1994 to win the first two games of a playoff series on the road against Orlando, head to Indianapolis for Game 3 on May 9 with momentum. Cleveland, meanwhile, faces an uphill battle to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole.
This game will be remembered as a playoff classic, with Haliburton’s dagger three etching his name into Pacers lore. As the series shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the NBA world is buzzing about what’s next in this high-stakes showdown.
