Warriors lose again at home, falling deeper into the tenth-seed hole
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SAN FRANCISCO— Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points and 11 assists, Pascal Siakam added 25 points and 16 rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-111 on Friday night.
Pascal Siakam collected a defensive rebound with four seconds remaining before halftime. From the restricted area, he pivoted and threw a 50-foot pass to a streaking Tyrese Haliburton, giving Haliburton just enough time to receive and loft a three-pointer at the buzzer, cutting the Warriors’ 12-point lead to one.
Indiana pulled away in the third quarter, defeating Golden State 36-21 after trailing by double digits in the first half. After a recent shooting slump, Haliburton has suddenly scored at least 20 points in two consecutive games. He led the Pacers’ charge with 11 points in the third quarter.
“We had to amp up our attitude in the second half—our overall nastiness—to compete and get physical,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
The Warriors misplayed it. Trayce Jackson-Davis sagged too far back, and Andrew Wiggins failed to stay connected, resulting in Haliburton curving off the screen. He broke away for a catch-and-shoot three from the right wing, which he swished. It gave the Pacers a 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Myles Turner, who had five blocks, 14 points, and 10 rebounds, surpassed Jermaine O’Neal’s franchise record of 1,246 blocks in the third quarter after blocking Jonathan Kuminga. Turner, in his seventh season with the Pacers, received a raucous reception in the locker room and described breaking the mark as an “emotional feeling.”
“I think it’s amazing,” Turner added. “I can leave with something, regardless of what happens in the future. Now I can tell my children and grandchildren about this moment, and maybe this record will last for a long time.
Stephen Curry led Golden State with 25 points and 10 rebounds, making 6 of 18 3-pointers.
“Anytime you hold Steph Curry to under 30 in his building, you’ve done an amazing job,” Carlisle remarked, praising Andrew Nembhard’s defense of Curry.
Chris Paul received two quick technical fouls in the closing seconds, leading to his ejection. He said after the game that he called referee Tony Brothers a “TikToker” and that Brothers had “too much power.”
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The Pacers, who were on a five-game road trip, knew they had at least secured a berth in the play-in tournament with the Brooklyn Nets’ loss on Thursday, but they were only a half-game ahead of the Miami Heat in sixth place, hoping to avoid the play-in altogether.
Indiana improved to 5-0 at Chase Center, remaining the only unbeaten team against the Warriors since their relocation to San Francisco. The Pacers’ record improved to 33-13 when six or more players scored in double figures. Haliburton stated that the victory seemed like one of the most complete performances.
“I’d say it’s a huge victory for us,” Haliburton stated. “It’s no secret what the rankings are right now and how crucial all these games are. “So we’re simply trying to get business done on this trip right now.”
The Warriors entered Friday in the final slot in the play-in tournament, trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by half a game. Golden State coach Steve Kerr stated the Pacers outperformed his team in the second half, and the Warriors began to lose their composure.
“They just pushed the ball down our throats and got out in transition,” Kerr told reporters. “I thought they were the more physical team as well.”
Golden State led by 12 points midway through the second quarter, but Indiana finished the half on an 18-7 run. Haliburton’s 33-foot three-pointer at the buzzer trimmed the Warriors’ lead to 67-66 at halftime. Golden State’s back-to-back turnovers resulted in layups by Siakam and Andrew Nembhard, giving the Pacers their first double-digit lead with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
While they’re on the road for five games, the Warriors face a tough opening. After Sunday’s game against the Timberwolves in Minnesota, they’ll play a back-to-back in Florida, taking on the Heat and Magic.
