The first set of teams have advanced to the semifinals of the NBA's In-Season Tournament out in Las Vegas. Today's edition of The Morning Dunk has got you covered with all of the news and highlights stemming from Monday's quarterfinal action.
Haliburton Lifts Pacers To Upset
The Indiana Pacers were 4.5-point underdogs heading into Monday's quarterfinal contest with the Boston Celtics, who were once the favorites to win the entire In-Season Tournament at +310.
Whoops.
Tyrese Haliburton picked the absolute best time to notch the first triple-double of his young career, finishing with 26 points (16 in the second half), 10 rebounds, and 13 assists across 40 minutes to guide Indiana to a 122-112 victory over Boston at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The nail in the Celtics' coffin came when Haliburton connected on an off-balanced 3-pointer while getting fouled for a four-point play with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter with the score locked at 105 apiece. The Pacers never looked back from that point onward.
Tyrese Haliburton with a massive 4-point play. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/jQiHWZv3tw
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 5, 2023
Indiana's odds to capture the first-ever NBA Cup have jumped from +1400 to +490, with the new overall favorites now being the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans at +280.
Pelicans Punch Ticket To Sin City
Not to be outdone by Indiana, the New Orleans Pelicans also booked their ticket to Las Vegas on Monday despite being underdogs themselves.
The Sacramento Kings were 5-point favorites and rightfully so, having gone 9-3 SU in their last 12 games while the Pelicans were 1-6 SU across their last seven road matchups.
All signs pointed toward a Kings' victory, but the Pelicans quickly changed the narrative by holding onto a lead that grew to as much as 15 points in the second half and never letting up, winning 127-117 at the Golden 1 Center.
Brandon Ingram showed OUT as the Pelicans advanced to the In-Season Tournament Semifinals in Vegas 🏆
— NBA (@NBA) December 5, 2023
30 PTS \ 8 REB \ 6 AST pic.twitter.com/Qra1ot9FZr
Brandon Ingram led all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting, adding eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal in 40 minutes. The 26-year-old is now the new favorite for the NBA Cup's Most Valuable Player at +450, taking over the top spot following the elimination of Jayson Tatum and the Celtics.
