By Burdine, Swain, Thompson

The Indiana Pacers were underdogs during the regular season with not much hype, but recently in the playoffs, Pacers beat the Bucks and are now up 2-0 against the number one team in all of the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Tyrese Haliburton has had an outstanding playoff performance so far that his dad, and John Haliburton couldn’t stay out of the other team’s faces. Tyrese Haliburton now has to overcome the talks about his dad when all he is trying to do is play the game he loves.

“As rough as it is for Tyrese to not have his dad at the games, I think it helps him kind of zero in and focus on just the game. Even if his dad was just trying to protect or defend Tyrese, it only took away Tyrese’s big moments,” freshman Breianna Harlow said.

John Haliburton is in the wrong for talking to another player after beating them, but even if he was just trying to make a statement, you cannot do things like that.

“Haliburton’s dad being banned makes sense because what he did was totally uncalled for. Although I feel like for the rest of the playoffs is kind of over the top, and I think that just for the next series would have been fine,” sophomore Eli Martin said.

When becoming a good player, there are upsides and downsides to it because no matter how you do, you will have doubters and haters. Right now Tyrese Haliburton is experiencing overrated chants that his peers are saying.

“Yes, what he has done to the Bucks and Cavs is defined as taking it personal. I don’t think he is overrated at all,” sophomore Gavin Arnold said.

Tyrese Haliburton has done his best so far to lead the Pacers past the Bucks and now up 2-0 against the Cavs. Everyone will have doubts at some point in their careers so just overcome it and keep playing the best you can.

“I think he definitely used it as motivation to play well against the Cavs,” junior Acen Swain said.

The Pacers have played against the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs two years in a row now. The rivalry between the Bucks and the Pacers have grown over the past years because of the close playoff games and the chippiness between the players.

“I think this had proved a lot of points for the Pacers. I think it was awesome for the Pacers. I think it was awesome for the rivalry we have with them. To kick them out of the playoffs 2 years in a row is awesome. This sweep proved that they never let up and keep the energy every game, even if things aren’t going their way,” Harlow said.

The Pacers have proven that they are the better team than the Bucks every year — even after all the talking Bucks fans and players do. The Bucks were not at the top of our rivalry list in the past, but recently this has grown.

“I think it was really good, the Pacers worked really hard to sweep them, and they work well together as a team and have really good ball movement,” Arnold said.