Tyrese Haliburton has been the revelation of this NBA postseason. The Indiana Pacers guard has hit clutch shot after clutch shot, taking down some of the league’s best teams in high-pressure situations when his team needed him most. His overall game and consistency have been criticized, but Haliburton has embraced the spotlight. Reminiscent of a certain someone? Michael Jordan, perhaps.
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Let’s take a look at Game 1 of the NBA finals. Oklahoma City Thunder dominated for the majority of the game, until Haliburton took over in the final quarter, ultimately hitting one of the most thrilling game winners in recent memory. And just like that, he redeemed himself in the eyes of those who were doubting him.
The 25-year-old received major praise from fans, former players, and analysts alike. Some, like Dwyane Wade, went as far as calling him a true “superstar,” a tag that many others hesitate to put on him. During a conversation on the PBD Podcast, another NBA legend, Metta Sandiford-Artest (better known as Metta World Peace), heaped praise on the Pacers star.
His performance has been so impressive that Metta World Peace compared his playoff run to Jordan’s. He highlighted the number of game-winners Haliburton has already hit and how often he’s been the deciding factor late in games. While the Pacers aren’t built around a single star, Haliburton has consistently stood out.
He said, “Haliburton was incredible. He is the Michael Jordan of these playoffs.” Even when his comment was called audacious by the co-host, Metta backed the claim.
“We’ve never seen this. Name a time when you have seen these many game winners,” the former All-Star forward added.
World Peace’s fellow Lakers legend, Magic Johnson, is also in awe of Haliburton’s clutch performances.
Haliburton had a great run in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks. He averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists, six rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting 45.5% from the field. After the Pacers won the series and Haliburton showed great composure in the fourth quarter of Game 6, Magic was all praise for him.
“Haliburton dominated the New York Knicks in the Fourth Quarter with the pick-and-roll play last night! He was virtually unstoppable. He either scored or had a great pass to score,” Magic had said.
That said, those who criticized Haliburton despite his heroic game-winners now have some strong backing, as he has been struggling overall in this NBA Finals series. The Finals between the Pacers and the Thunder are currently tied 2-2. Aside from the game-winner in Game 1, Haliburton hasn’t delivered anything particularly magical.
Heading into Game 5, the Pacers will be counting on him for a standout performance.
