One of the biggest storylines off the court came after Game 3, when star guard Tyrese Haliburton didn't attend his media session. After a four-point dud of a game, Haliburton wasn't made available. Haliburton originally pushed back on the criticism that he received,

Tyrese Haliburton responds to Rick Carlisle's challenge with a commanding Game 4 performance, pushing the Pacers to a 3-1 series lead.

The Athletic's James Boyd initially reported Friday night that Pacers PR did not make Haliburton available after the Game 3 loss. Multiple beat writers including Dopirak noted it was rare for Haliburton not to speak to the media after a Pacers loss.