The Indiana Pacers have taken the NBA by storm in these playoffs and have been arguably the most consistently excellent team in the month of May, led by Tyrese Haliburton. The 25-year-old point guard is on a run the likes of which we haven’t seen in the many years. First, he knocked out Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks with a clutch driving layup in Game 5, then he put the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on ice with a game-winning 3 in Game 2 and 31 points in the series-ending Game 5. Now he took Game 1 against the New York Knicks after his high-bouncing buzzer-beater at the end of regulation sent Game 1 to overtime.
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Haliburton was named the most overrated player in the NBA by a poll published last month by The Athletic, and he’s made every anonymous player who voted for him feel foolish as he’s led the Pacers to their second straight Eastern Conference Finals. While it’s worth noting that this was an optional question and only 13 players picked Haliburton, he has clearly taken it to heart.
On the latest episode of KG Certified, which was taped before Tyrese lit the Knicks up for 31 and 11 in Game 1, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were asked to name which young superstar from the four remaining teams had the most to gain by winning a title. They both agreed that there was no answer other than Hali.
Pierce pointed out that Anthony Edwards is already held in extremely high regard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the MVP and Jalen Brunson is already “the king of New York.” Being in a small market with much less fanfare than that trio makes Haliburton the easy choice.
“He got voted most overrated, which is ridiculous,” Pierce said. “So if he win it? He got the most to gain. He coming from behind. He wasn’t the most heralded on the USA team, didn’t get no minutes, now he out here on the verge of getting to the Finals … He got more ground to make up than the rest of them.”
Tyrese Haliburton is making the most of his opportunity
Pierce also made note of the fact that Haliburton doesn’t have his own signature shoe and isn’t a household name beyond NBA fans. “It ain’t like everybody wearing his jersey,” he said. “But everybody gonna know his name after this series, I got a feeling … I know he playing with a heavy chip on his shoulder.”
Haliburton’s play has done plenty of talking this postseason, but he’s also embraced the limelight by putting an exclamation point on his on-court daggers. He tweeted out, “Overrate THAT” after he ended the Bucks season, then he busted out the Reggie Miller choke celebration after sending Game 1 against the Knicks to overtime.
The Pacers were down 14 points with under three minutes left and nine points in the final minute in that one, but Haliburton’s steady hand and clutch shot-making (with a big assist from Aaron Nesmith’s five late 3s) helped Indiana persevere.
Haliburton is the most hated man in New York for what he did in Game 1, and he’s well on his way to proving Pierce right that everybody’s gonna know his name soon. If he can get the Pacers to the Finals, it would be just the second appearance in franchise history. Caitlin Clark is already proving that you can be a superstar while playing for an Indiana team. It’s time we make some room for Haliburton, too.
