THE BALL BOUNCED high in the air off the back of the rim as Tyrese Haliburton backpedaled across half court. He knew where it was about to land.
He had gotten exactly the shot he'd wanted, racing toward the basket with the middle of the floor open, before turning around and dashing back toward the 3-point line so he could slide into the step-back jumper. It has become his signature move.
He said he felt like the ball got stuck in the air, rising and falling along with the hopes of more than 19,000 raucous fans.