Former Grizzlies Star Urges Tyrese Haliburton to ‘Step Up’ Following Disappointing Game 1 Performance

The New York Knicks outlasted a valiant effort from the Indiana Pacers and beat them 121-117 in Game 1 of the two teams’ Eastern Conference semifinal series. The game was on a knife’s edge until the dying seconds of the fourth quarter, but the Pacers could’ve been out of the Knicks’ sight by then had Tyrese Haliburton not had one of his worst outings of the season.

The All-Star guard finished with an underwhelming ‘triple-single,’ scoring six points, dishing eight assists, and grabbing only two rebounds. He shot 2-of-6 from the field, both three-pointers. Haliburton’s stunningly poor display severely affected his scoring props for Game 2, as betting site FanDuel set it at 16.5.

The guard’s Game 1 performance has dented betting sites’ belief in his scoring ability, but Chandler Parsons still has faith in him. On the Run It Back podcast, the former Memphis Grizzlies star claimed he was betting the over on Haliburton’s points total and urged the Pacers guard to prove him right, not for his, but for the Pacers’ sake. He said,

“It’s time that Tyrese Haliburton steps up. That fact that his over is 16.5 and we’ve seen this guy explode for multiple big games. He needs to do this for [the Pacers] to have a chance, he’s gotta offset Jalen Brunson’s production on the other side.”

“It’s time that Tyrese Haliburton steps up…I love Tyrese Haliburton over 16.5 points ”
@ChandlerParsons shares his prop bets for tonight’s game #Pacers at #Knicks @FDSportsbook pic.twitter.com/jj3l9YJj2O

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 8, 2024

As Parsons mentioned, Haliburton has to play better for the Pacers to stand a chance because Game 1 showcased that Indiana will likely struggle to contain Jalen Brunson during this series.

The Knicks guard scored 43 points in the Knicks’ narrow 121-117 win and became only the fourth player in NBA history to record four straight 40-point games in the playoffs. With Brunson in burning hot form at the moment, the Pacers cannot contend in this series if Haliburton doesn’t step up and replicate his All-Star-level production from the regular season.

Tyrese Haliburton’s shocking dip in form in the playoffs

Tyrese Haliburton was exceptional during the regular season. He led the league in assists and averaged over 20 points per game, earning him a starting spot on the Eastern Conference’s All-Star team. However, while he had the time of his life during the regular season, the playoffs have been a different story.

In his first seven appearances in the 2024 playoffs, Haliburton has averaged only 14.6 points, 9.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds. The guard’s underwhelming form fortunately did not hurt the Pacers in their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. But it’s worth noting that Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the entire series and Damian Lillard sat out two games, severely dampening their strength.

While Haliburton’s poor form wasn’t an issue against the Bucks, it did hurt the Pacers against the Knicks in Game 1. Following this, he told CBS Sports,

“I just felt like, even Game 1 of the last series, I wasn’t myself. Just lack of aggression, my energy was — everything was off yesterday… [But] The world ain’t ending ’cause we lost one game… I’m not hitting the panic button or alarm or anything… As a competitor, what more could you ask for than playing in the playoffs, playing in Madison Square Garden? There’s nothing like it. So I’m embracing all of it and enjoying every second of it.”

Haliburton lived up to his promise. By the end of the game, he had 34 points on 57.9% from the field, and 63.6% from beyond the arc. However, while his offensive showing was a significantly improved one, it wasn’t enough, as the Pacers lost 121-130.

Now down 0-2 in the series against a New York Knicks side that is only growing in confidence at the moment, can Tyrese will his team bring this series level?