Pacers Take 3-1 Lead in Eastern Conference Finals with Haliburtons Historic Triple-Double

The Indiana Pacers are one win away from their first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years, thanks to a dominant performance from Tyrese Haliburton in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks. Haliburton finished with a 32-point triple-double, including 15 assists and 12 rebounds, and he didn't commit a single turnover in the process. This makes him the third player in NBA history to put up a 30-15-10 triple-double in the playoffs, and the first to do so without a turnover. Haliburton's performance was crucial in helping the Pacers grab a 130-121 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, giving them a 3-1 series lead over the Knicks. The Pacers were able to hold off a late push from the Knicks, who went on a 10-2 run to briefly make it a two-possession game, but the Pacers were able to hold on for the nine-point victory. Karl-Anthony Towns had a knee injury in the loss and his status going forward is unclear. He collided late in the final quarter with Myles Turner and went down grabbing his left knee, and he was down on the baseline for quite some time. He eventually limped back onto the floor and finished the game favoring his left leg significantly. Haliburton's performance was not only impressive in terms of his statistics, but also in his ability to lead the Pacers to an early lead and maintain it throughout the game. He accounted for half of their six made 3-pointers in the first half, which already surpassed the amount they made as a team in their Game 3 loss on Sunday night. He also had six assists and five rebounds in the first period, making him just the second player since LeBron James to have at least 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a playoff quarter in the play-by-play era. The Pacers' defense was also a key factor in their victory. They were able to repeatedly shut down the Knicks defensively throughout the third quarter, and Haliburton came up with a perfect steal on Jalen Brunson in the corner of the floor while they fought to maintain their double-digit lead. The Pacers ended the third quarter on a 9-4 run to take an 11-point lead, which carried over into the early minutes of the fourth period. With this victory, the Pacers are now just one win away from clinching their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years. Haliburton's performance has been crucial in helping them get to this point, and he will be looking to continue his dominant play in Game 5 on Friday night.