Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers to Face-Off for Inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament Championship

The NBA play-in tournament championship is finally set.

The Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James, will face off against a team a lot of people say has a bright future — the Indiana Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton has emerged as the standout player for Indiana, a fact highlighted by Reggie Miller during yesterday’s broadcast. Miller revealed that Haliburton consistently made trips to Cleveland to attend Cavaliers games when LeBron James was on the court.

Didn’t matter if it was for the Heat or the Cavs. He was going to be there. It was a full circle moment for the point guard from Iowa State to be able to play against his favorite basketball player growing up on the inaugural Saturday evening in Las Vegas. 

Halliburton let Dame know yesterday that he has arrived. After hitting a three-point bucket to put the Pacers up seven, Tyrese did the infamous ‘ you know what time it is?’ celebration curated and patterned by Damian over his career.

TY TIME ⌚️ pic.twitter.com/p4G4LX6tIR

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 8, 2023

Damian respected the gesture, a great player never gets mad when a player has his day. 

“For as many times as I’ve done it to people, I can’t be upset when somebody else does it…I’ve also known when you are having your moment, it’s important to be careful and be humble,” Lillard said during his media availability after the Bucks 128-119 loss. Hali finished the game with 27 points, seven rebounds, and 15 assists.

The game went down to the wire and was very entertaining… unlike the other game.

The matchup to watch tomorrow evening that’ll determine this game could possibly be center Myles Turner for the Indiana Pacers, going head-to-head with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis. 

Davis finished last night with 16 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks. 

Turner finished the game with 26 points, ten rebounds, and two assists. He had a poster dunk on Giannis last night, too.

MYLES TURNER TWO-HANDED POSTER ON GIANNIS 😤

(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/C2AzuCCMVg

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 7, 2023

Saturday evening on ABC, we’re in store for a good one. A small, deep, young, exciting market team is facing off against an experienced team in one of the biggest markets in the country.

Yeah, Adam Silver has done his Big one with the NBA Play-In Tournament.