Stephen A. Smith Calls Out Tyrese Haliburton’s “Sensitivity” While Urging Pacers Star to Focus on Finals

After the Indiana Pacers’ massive Game 3 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to take a 2–1 series lead, Tyrese Haliburton had a few things to say. Recently voted by his peers as the NBA’s most overrated player, the star guard called out the media, prompting criticism from famed analyst Stephen A. Smith.

“Most of the time, the talking heads on the major platforms, I couldn’t care less, honestly. Like, what do they really know about basketball? The commentary is what it is at this point. We’re in the NBA Finals, two wins away from an NBA championship,” Haliburton said after the Pacers’ 116-107 win. 

It seems as though Haliburton is on a revenge tour for being called overrated at the moment. He doesn’t care who he lashes out at in the process, but Smith wants him to keep a check on who he’s deciding to throw under the bus.

He took issue with Haliburton’s comments, noting that many former NBA players now serve as analysts and bring a deep understanding of the game. In his view, Haliburton didn’t fully think through what he was saying.

In fact, Smith was genuinely disappointed. After all, he’s been one of Haliburton’s biggest supporters throughout the season during on-air debates.

“The subject has been about whether or not he’s a superstar and all of this other stuff, which I believe he is. He’s the guy I wanted the Knicks to draft years ago. He’s a damn good player,” Smith said on First Take.

He couldn’t understand why the Pacers star would say what he said. It’s as though he forgot where the anonymous poll that voted him overrated actually came from. “It was the media that came out and said you’re not overrated. It was your peers who voted you overrated, not the media,” he added. 

On top of that, the Pacers haven’t finished the job yet. So, Smith is finding it difficult to understand why Haliburton is acting this way, prematurely.  “The heightened level of sensitivity that you want to give off. Like Magic said, focus on the damn Finals. You ain’t win it yet, you still got two to go.”

It’s hard to disagree with Smith here. Some of Haliburton’s comments could end up aging poorly if the Pacers go on to lose the series. All the “overrated” talk would come roaring back.

While Smith said he views Haliburton as a superstar right now, he also admitted he might be wrong. Based on what he saw in Games 1 and 2, the Pacers point guard didn’t exactly prove that he had the superstar aura.

“When I talk about superstar status, we’re talking about guys at the box office and all of this stuff. That’s true, too. But my definition of it is the number one option that is game-planned against by the opposition every single night. And far more often than not, answers the call in terms of whatever their responsibility is,” Smith concluded.

Those are the kinds of things brought up when we talk about a player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in this series. But for the most part, Haliburton has been neutralized defensively by the Thunder—aside from Game 3—casting doubt on Smith’s view of him.

Shaq Unhappy With Haliburton

After he finished watching Game 1, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal didn’t mince his words on how he felt Haliburton played despite hitting the game-winner.

“I thought even though Tyrese was 6 for 13 from the field, he was a bit too passive for me. I like people to step up to the challenge,” Shaq said on Game Time.

Well, it seems like Hali heard the noise—because he looked far more aggressive in Game 3. He attacked the rim, looked for his three-point shot, and nearly recorded a triple-double: 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists. It was a massive performance from the face of the Pacers franchise.

But heading into Game 4, as Smith said, Haliburton needs to keep the pressure on OKC. They’ve got a historically great team on the ropes. Now it’s about showing up and continuing to press SGA and the young Thunder. He can’t afford to get distracted by outside noise.