Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton takes step back in Team USA loss to Germany

Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton and Team USA lose to Germany: Second Half

Tyrese Haliburton got subbed in relatively early in the third quarter, waiting three minutes to check-in. He hit a shot about 15 seconds later for his fifth point of the game. Haliburton also nailed Josh Hart on a three-pointer a few minutes later.

However, this is where the fouling issues returned.

Haliburton fouled Germany’s Andres Obst on a three-pointer, with Germany already leading by five points. Obst made all three free throws, extending Germany’s lead to eight, and leaving Haliburton with his third foul of the night.

The point guard continued to produce in the third quarter, hitting two free throws of his own and getting his sixth assist of the game, but this is where the downfall began. Some of it was in Haliburton’s control, and some was not.

Haliburton missed the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, in which Germany kept their lead at 10 points. Team USA was struggling to get a run going, similar to their only other loss against Lithuania.

While Haliburton did get his seventh and eighth assists of the game, to Anthony Edwards and Austin Reaves, respectively, his ultimate defining moment of the game was a negative one.

He was shaken loose by Obst and ended up on the floor, leaving the German open. Obst drained a three-pointer to put Germany up by four points.

This was ultimately the start of Team USA’s undoing. Although they made a run near the end of the game, a Dennis Schroder dagger was enough to seal the deal.

With Haliburton’s final defining moment being him on the floor, Team USA was bounced from the FIBA World Cup.