Kendrick Perkins Says Tyrese Haliburton Has “Finally Arrived” in NBA Finals, Claims Pacers Star Outplayed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3

Every NBA fan was wondering when Tyrese Haliburton would finally have a breakout game in the NBA Finals. Despite hitting an iconic game-winner in Game 1, he had been held to just 15 combined points over the first two games. But in Game 3, he finally delivered—and Kendrick Perkins believed it was the key to the Pacers’ win.

Statistically, Haliburton had been struggling, not just with scoring, but with his lack of aggression driving to the rim. That’s what he changed during Indiana’s 116–107 win yesterday. He came out determined to make an impact, and boy, did he deliver.

To someone like Perkins, a self-proclaimed box-score watcher, it was a big-time performance. He had been waiting for Haliburton to truly arrive in the Finals—and in Game 3, he finally did.

“The elephant in the room was Tyrese Haliburton, right? He finally arrived to the NBA Finals, to us box score watchers. Yeah, I’m watching the box score when it comes down to you,” Perkins said on NBA Today. 

It’s hard to argue with that. While Benedict Mathurin, who dropped 27 points, may have felt like the biggest difference-maker for the Pacers, Haliburton’s emergence was just as crucial, if not more so. With the win, Indiana now finds itself firmly in the driver’s seat heading into Game 4.

What surprised Perkins most about Haliburton’s performance was how good he looked in comparison to the league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“The first game in this series that he actually outplayed SGA. He outplayed SGA, and I thought that was the thing for me. Being aggressive is one thing going downhill, but I thought it opened up so much. They didn’t know how to play him,” Perkins said.

Haliburton didn’t outscore SGA, but he certainly outplayed him. He finished with 22 points—including four made threes—alongside 9 rebounds and 11 assists, coming just shy of a triple-double. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 24 points with 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, but wasn’t his usual efficient self. He also committed a playoff career-high 6 turnovers.

Down the stretch in Game 3, it was Haliburton who stepped up. He hit big shots, stayed active on defense, and helped seal Indiana’s 116–107 win. One could argue that the home crowd eased the pressure and helped Hali find his rhythm again.

But while things are looking good for the Pacers with a 2–1 series lead, they can’t afford to let up. Game 4 offers a chance to land a knockout punch. If the Thunder tie it up, the series shifts to a best-of-three, with OKC holding home-court advantage. And they’ve already shown they can win a big Game 7 at home.

We’ll see if Haliburton and the Pacers can keep their momentum going tomorrow. But for now, the betting odds still favor the Thunder to win it all.