It’s sort of a chicken-or-egg thing: Did the Indiana Pacers make a great comeback, or did the Cleveland Cavaliers choke away Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals?
Charles Barkley is decidedly on one side of this argument.
“Tell you what, man. This was another choke job,” the Hall of Famer said on TNT at halftime of the later game Tuesday night between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. “This was a gag, y’all. This was a choke extraordinaire.”
Panel mate Kenny Smith asked Barkley if Tyrese Haliburton‘s late flourish — 4 points in the final 12.1 seconds, including the winning 3-pointer with 1.0 second left — was more about big plays than a choke.
Barkley: “They gave up two rebounds on free throws!”
Smith: “It happens.”
Barkley: “No, it doesn’t.”
Watch Pacers last-minute comeback vs. Cavs
The Cavaliers led 117-110 with 1:06 left after a Max Strus 3-pointer. Here’s what happened the rest of the way.
1:03: Haliburton layup
57.1 seconds: Donovan Mitchell 2 free throws
47.2: Aaron Nesmith putback dunk after a missed Pascal Siakam free throw
45.2: Mitchell offensive foul
27.1: Siakam layup
27.1: Cavs turnover
12.1: Haliburton 1-of-2 free throws, rebounding his own miss at the 9.1 mark
1.0: Haliburton 3-pointer