Halliburton pays tribute to the three superstars with one goal, creating a classic NBA legendary moment

On the stage of the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Finals G1, the God of Basketball seemed to have arrived in person to direct a thrilling reversal drama. The Indiana Pacers' young core, Terrys Halliburton, not only rewrites the direction of the game with a tie, but also pays tribute to the three legendary superstars in a unique and shocking way, leaving a strong mark in the history of basketball.

The game entered the last moment of the final quarter, and the Pacers were once 17 points behind the New York Knicks at the away game at Madison Square Garden Arena. In desperation, Halliburton stood up and took on the team's hope. He was like a stabilizing needle throughout the game, scoring 31 points and 11 assists, revitalizing the team's offensive system, but the team's life was still on the verge of death.

When time is only 2 seconds left, the Pacers are 2 points behind. After Halliburton received the ball, he decisively pulled out the shot from outside the three-point line. The basketball drew a wonderful arc in the air, hollow into the net! The Pacers fans on the scene were instantly excited and thought the team had completed the final victory. Halliburton was also emotional and immediately made the classic "throat lock" celebration move by Pacers' history legend Reggie Miller. This action originated from the 1995 Eastern Conference semi-finals. After Miller completed the "8.9-second-8" miracle against the Knicks, he became a classic picture in NBA history. Halliburton used this action as if he was announcing the arrival of a new era of Indiana basketball.

However, the referee showed through the playback that Halliburton's tie was actually two points long, not three points. This detail instantly reminds people of Durant's three-pointer who also crossed the line in the 2019 tiebreak match against the Bucks. At that time, Durant's final kill was sentenced to invalidation, which became a major regret in his career. Halliburton's "straight line" this time became the starting point for the team's reversal, as if it was a compensation for Durant's regret. He dragged the game into overtime in the same way.

What's more magical is that Halliburton's tie was not directly into the net, but bounced high, hit the top of the timer, and then rushed into the basket. This scene perfectly replicates the "famous scene" of Leonard's winning over the 76ers in the 2019 semi-final tiebreak. At that time, Leonard's winning goal was slammed on the basket and fell into the net, becoming a classic moment in NBA history. Halliburton's ball is also a "famous scene of rushing the basket". The difference is that it only made a bump, but this one was very high. It was estimated that the sum of Leonard's rushing around was as if Leonard's magical power was helping Halliburton.

ESPN commentator Perkins exclaimed: "This ball combines Durant's cold-bloodedness, Leonard's luck and Miller's murderous aura. Halliburton used one action to pay tribute to the three superstars at the same time, which is unique in NBA history." In this way, Halliburton cleverly integrated Reggie Miller's "throat-locking celebration", Durant's "line-crossing dispute", and Leonard's "bumping the basket" into this tie, completing the tribute to the three legendary superstars.

After entering overtime, the Pacers' morale was greatly boosted, and the whole team blossomed at multiple points under the connection of Halliburton. Eventually, the Pacers reversed the Knicks with a score of 138-135, completing an incredible victory. This victory also allowed Halliburton to finish a draw or a final victory in the playoffs for the third time this season. You should know that Halliburton at the beginning of the season was also named the "most overrated" player in the anonymous player. But now, he has completely shattered the doubts with his key performances and became the "key gentleman" of the league's new generation.

Halliburton's tie not only demonstrates his strong personal strength and psychological quality, but also reflects the inheritance of the basketball spirit. While replicating the classics, he also added his own style and innovation. After the tie, he did not rush towards Spike Lee like Miller did, but faced the audience with his arms open and hugged the audience. In overtime, he revitalized the entire team through 11 assists, subliminating personal heroism into a team victory. This attitude of paying tribute to the seniors but not blindly replicating has won the recognition of many basketball seniors. Durant once said: "He gave me the hope of basketball inheritance." After this game, Halliburton's name will surely be closely linked to these three legendary superstars. He used this tie to write his own legendary story, and also made people full of unlimited expectations for the next Eastern Conference Finals and even his future career. What kind of surprise will this young star bring to us? Let's wait and see.