What began as a statement series for Tyrese Haliburton has now morphed into a cautionary tale: after torching opponents through two electrifying playoff outings, the Indiana Pacers’ All-Star point guard was held to a scant four points in Game 3 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, transforming from leading man to punchline overnight.
Cleveland’s ferocious second-quarter blitz set the tone for a 126–104 rout at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. For Haliburton, Game 3’s ignominious performance is a stark reminder that even the brightest stars can flicker.
The fallout has been swift—social media’s “overrated” jibes have come full circle, and even Tyrese’s once-glorious rallying cry of “Overrate THAT” now echoes with irony.
Tyrese Haliburton Failed To Break Past Cavaliers in Game 3
Entering Game 3, Haliburton had averaged 30.5 points and 15 assists in the first two contests. Yet on Friday, he managed just four points on 2-of-8 shooting with five assists, marking his first sub-10-point playoff performance of the season.
Reuters reported that Indiana’s coach, Rick Carlisle, lamented, “This was a very poor effort at the beginning of the game, through too many parts of the game. Pretty clearly, I didn’t have these guys ready for this. (Haliburton) had a rough game.”
It was a rare home-court postseason loss for Haliburton, who has otherwise been nearly flawless at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Cavaliers exploded out of the gates. Their strategy was twofold: crowd Haliburton with physical ball-screens and exploit mismatches with Mitchell’s isolation prowess. The result was a 25–4 run to close the second quarter that deflated the Pacers.
Donovan Mitchell spearheaded the onslaught, drilling five threes on 13 attempts and finishing 14-of-29 from the field for a playoff-high 43 points. Max Strus added 20 points and seven rebounds, while Jarrett Allen dominated inside with 19 points and 12 boards.
The Cavs outmuscled Indiana on the glass, owning a 56–37 rebounding edge (including 18 offensive boards) that fueled 22 second-chance points.
Indiana’s meager response could not stem the tide. Despite a spirited 22–29 run to close the first quarter, they were simply outmanned and outworked in the paint. Their only spark came in the first period when Bennedict Mathurin tallied 23 bench points.
But the Pacers never mounted a meaningful comeback once Cleveland seized control.
Haliburton’s Social Media Roast
After Game 2, Cavaliers fans chanted “overrated” at Haliburton until “Playoff Donovan” Mitchell silenced them with a sportsmanship gesture—ironically quelling the jeers meant for the Pacers star.
But on social platforms Friday night, the narrative flipped. NBA Twitter threads lit up with memes highlighting Haliburton’s uncharacteristic meltdown. One X user declared, “Overrate that he says,” under Bleacher Report’s official post.
Another added, “Not an ideal performance from your max contract leader of the team.”
Meanwhile, one other commented, “Under rate that!”
Such volatility is emblematic of modern fandom: today’s hero can become tomorrow’s scapegoat.
Pacers and Haliburton Need Urgent Adjustments
For Tyrese Haliburton, this latest stumble threatens to puncture the aura he’s built, reminding everyone that inconsistency remains the greatest kryptonite—even for a generational talent.
With the series shifting back to Indianapolis for Game 4 on Sunday, Indiana cannot afford another dud if it hopes to reclaim home-court leverage.
Conversely, the Cavaliers aim to build on Friday’s blueprint. If Mitchell remains dialed in and Cleveland’s supporting cast sustains its energy, the Cavs could seize a commanding 3–1 lead before returning home.
Either way, the postseason narrative just became infinitely more compelling: Will Tyrese Haliburton shake off the ridicule and reclaim his All-Star swagger, or will this notorious Game 3 performance haunt him and the Pacers for the rest of the playoffs? Only time—and a quick turnaround—will tell.