Haliburton calls Pacers’ play ’embarrassing’ after loss to Raptors

TORONTO (AP) — Two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton isn’t too impressed with the way his Indiana Pacers have performed so far this season.

“The product we’re putting on the floor right now as a group is embarrassing,” Haliburton said after Indiana lost 122-111 to the Toronto Raptors in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.

Indiana is 2-10 on the road and has lost seven straight away from home since beating Dallas on Nov. 4.

“There needs to be a reality check right now,” Haliburton said. “Individually and collectively, guys need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves what they can do better. And it starts with me. I have to be a better leader.”

The Pacers finished 47-35 last season, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Indiana won playoff series over Milwaukee and New York before being swept by Boston in the the Eastern Conference finals.

Earlier last season, the Pacers made a run to the championship game of the NBA’s first In-Season Tournament. They went winless in the event this year, losing their four group games by a combined 60 points.

The Pacers were poor in the first half against Toronto, turning the ball over 17 times.

“We’ve had too many stretches like that,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “We all own it and we need to fix it.”

Indiana outscored Toronto 63-57 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough.

The Pacers were 10th in the East after Tuesday’s loss, one-half game ahead of Detroit. They get another chance to end their road skid when they play at Brooklyn on Wednesday night.