Tyrese Haliburton claps back with brutal comeback after NBA Finals heroics, sheds ‘most overrated' label
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is having a legacy-defining playoff run, sinking a fourth game-deciding last-second shot in their playoff run to take game 1 of the NBA Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers trailed for the entirety of game 1 at Paycom Center, but Haliburton's jump-shot with less than a second left put his team in the lead, and sealed an upset victory.
Haliburton, who was voted as the most overrated player in the NBA in a poll taken of players and coaches during the NBA regular season, has flipped the script on his personal standing by leading the unheralded Pacers to the Finals. This wasn't something that Haliburton has forgotten, and is in fact using as a form of motivation. Speaking to ESPN basketball analyst Scott Van Pelt after game one, Haliburton brought up how he has been on the receiving end of severe criticism throughout the season.
'The other night on my show, I put my hand up and I said, look, I was late to the party on it,' said Van Pelt about the Pacers and their remarkable run.
Haliburton was happy to take Van Pelt's apology, but also fired back at some of his critics by pointing out that many high-profile names were still bullish on downplaying the quality of the Pacers team. 'You're a real one, but a lot of your counterparts won't admit that now.'
Pacers, who had reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023-24, started the 2024-25 season with a 10-15 record. However, a 12-3 run over the Christmas period put the team back on track for the playoffs.
They have made a mark in the playoffs by beating the Milwaukee Bucks and the one-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in five games each, before winning the Eastern Conference by beating the New York Knicks in six games.
Through the Pacers' run, they have impressed with fluid, lightning-fast basketball, supercharged by Haliburton's playmaking and best-in-the-league passing ability. While Haliburton had an off day in game 1 vs OKC, scoring 14 points and gathering only 6 assists, his ability to guide his team to a win leaves the team in a strong position at the start of this crucial playoff series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
44 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
With record crowd watching, Sky get blown out by Fever in first WNBA game at United Center
CHICAGO — Chicago Sky coach Tyler Marsh recalled working the 2020 NBA All-Star game at the United Center when he was an assistant with the Toronto Raptors. He mentioned that his first experience at a WNBA All-Star game was also in Chicago — two years later at Wintrust Arena. 'It's been cool moments,' Marsh said. There was another big one on Saturday night. Though the Sky got blown out by Indiana 79-52, it was the first WNBA game at the United Center. 'It's an incredible moment for this league," said Marsh, in his first season coaching the Sky. "It's an incredible moment for our team and our staff and our city, really. I think that's the cool part about it is we get to represent our city in this building on a historic night. It's not lost among us how important and significant it is — and for myself to be part of that and to represent the W in that capacity, to represent the Sky in that capacity, is something that I don't take for granted.' A matchup that got moved from the smaller Wintrust Arena and was supposed to feature two of the league's brightest young stars in Chicago's Angel Reese and Indiana's Caitlin Clark didn't play out as envisioned. The Fever rolled over the Sky for the second time this season. And they did it without the injured Clark. The 2024 Rookie of the Year missed her fourth straight game because of a quad issue and watched the primetime, nationally televised game from the sideline. That had to be a bummer for the fans who showed up wearing Clark jerseys. The enthusiastic crowd of 19,496 surpassed Chicago's previous high of 16,444 in 2016 at Allstate Arena in suburban Rosemont, though tickets weren't hard to find. They were listed on StubHub for as little as $9 a few hours before tipoff. Even so, this was a big night. And the significance of playing at the United Center wasn't lost on the players and coaches. The Sky and Fever will meet again at the home of the NBA's Bulls and NHL's Blackhawks on July 27. 'We just continue to make milestones for women,' Reese said. 'Women belong here. I think this is gonna be the first of many. Obviously, we have two here this year. But we could continue to see this — and all our games at NBA arenas.' Reese and Clark have helped carry the league to new heights in popularity after taking their rivalry from LSU and Iowa to the pros. They brought the style and swagger that captivated the nation when they were going at it in college and spurring debates about sport and society. But the night wasn't just about them. 'It just shows how much women's basketball is growing, and it's amazing to see it,' said Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, another young star. For Fever assistant Austin Kelly, who was filling in with coach Stephanie White missing the game for personal reasons, playing at the United Center brought back memories of watching the Bulls during the Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen dynasty. 'I was born in '89,' he said. 'I played AAU basketball. We were on the road, me and my teammates were crammed into hotels — the Days Inn or whatever it was — watching them in June. A lot of memories of watching Jordan, watching the Bulls growing up. I think they were everyone's favorite team, especially youngsters like us growing up in the '90s.' Marsh said Sky player-development coach Aaron Johnson, who's from Chicago, had this game circled on his proverbial calendar. 'Since it got announced that we would be playing this game, it was something that he really got emotional about. Not to put him on Front Street, but this is a building that he grew up idolizing and sitting in the nosebleeds, and going from that to being able to step on the floor, those are the types of moments that you can't really put a price on," Marsh said. You take those experiences for what it is and it comes with the moment, but also, you're extremely excited for our players to be a part of that as well.' WNBA: /hub/wnba-basketball
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
"That's my favorite player of all time" - OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander credits Los Angeles Lakers legend as major influence ahead of NBA Finals Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led his team to the NBA Finals, and as they chase a championship, he's opening up about the player who shaped his career: . Despite never meeting the Los Angeles Lakers legend, Gilgeous-Alexander says Bryant's impact on his game and mindset is undeniable. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Shai Gilgeous-Alexander names Kobe Bryant as his favorite player , the 2024-25 NBA MVP, didn't hold back when asked about Bryant's influence during media availability before Game 2 of the Finals. "That's probably my favorite player of all time," he said. "I never got the chance to meet him, to answer your question. But yeah, not only me, but for kids all across the world, his influence has gone through the roof. His legacy will be remembered forever because of the competitor and the basketball player that he was. Hopefully I'm somewhere close to that level as a basketball player one day. But he was a special talent, special person, and God rest his soul. " (H/t: ) A recent viral video highlighted striking similarities between Bryant's signature moves and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's playing style, further fueling comparisons between the two. Teammate Jalen Williams sees the Kobe Bryant parallels forward Jalen Williams didn't hesitate to agree with the comparisons when asked about Gilgeous-Alexander's game. "Yeah, there are a lot of similarities there," Williams said. "I feel like if you're really paying attention to basketball and watch the way he plays, it's a lot of similarities. It's cool that he can pick certain aspects of his game, kind of mimic that a little bit, and add his own touch to it. That shows the kind of player that he is, to be able to steal bits and pieces from his favorite players and be able to put it into a game and work on it. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now There's a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into him being able to do that." Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP season mirrors Bryant's dominance Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP campaign was nothing short of spectacular. He averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range. His leadership propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder to 64 regular-season wins and now has them competing for a title. Also read: The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to bounce back in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night at 8:30 PM EST on ABC.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
NBA Trade Rumors: Indiana Pacers could chase $194.2 million Phoenix Suns superstar to form BIG 3 with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam
Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (Image via Imagn). The Indiana Pacers have defied expectations this season, reaching the NBA Finals with a thrilling Game 1 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, speculation is growing about how they could further strengthen their roster—and one potential move involves pursuing Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant . Indiana Pacers' Stunning Playoff Run and Future Decisions After an improbable comeback win against the Thunder, the Pacers are just three victories away from their first-ever NBA championship. While Oklahoma City remains the favorite, Indiana's rapid rise has sparked discussions about their long-term strategy. Tyrese Haliburton , the team's 25-year-old franchise cornerstone, is locked in until 2029. But beyond him, the Indiana Pacers face key decisions—especially regarding Pascal Siakam. The Pascal Siakam Factor Pascal Siakam, 31, is under contract for three more seasons, earning: - 2025-26: $45.6 million - 2026-27: $48.9 million - 2027-28: $52.3 million If the Indiana Pacers win the title, keeping Siakam alongside Haliburton becomes a no-brainer. However, if they fall short, Indiana might explore trading him for a higher-impact player. Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, center, is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill, right, in the first half during Game 1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) As Colin Keane of Sporting News noted in the original article: "If the Pacers fall to OKC (as is expected), Indiana wouldn't feel obligated to hang up on Siakam trade requests; in fact, it might even begin wondering whether or not moving Siakam for a more brilliant piece is the move required to take the Pacers to the promised land." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Kevin Durant: The Ultimate High-Risk, High-Reward Move One superstar who could be available is Kevin Durant . The Suns may field offers for the 15-time All-Star, and the Indiana Pacers could present an intriguing package: - Pascal Siakam - Jarace Walker - Two unprotected first-round picks (2029, 2031) While Phoenix may prefer better offers from teams like the Spurs or Rockets, Indiana's pitch has upside: - Short-term gamble: Kevin Durant's $54.7 million expiring deal makes this a one-year title push. - Championship upside: Adding Durant to Haliburton's squad could be the missing piece. - Future flexibility: If it doesn't work, Indiana clears cap space in 2026 to retool. Potential Outcomes Scenario Result Durant leads Pacers to title Indiana cements itself as a dynasty contender. Experiment fails Pacers let Kevin Durant walk, freeing up cap space for new moves. Will It Happen? The Suns will likely demand more than Indiana can offer, but Kevin Durant could influence the situation. If he pushes for a trade to the Indiana Pacers, Phoenix may have to reconsider. Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: Golden State Warriors could make shocking move on their $24,855,347 rookie amid serious speculations For now, the focus remains on the NBA Finals. But win or lose, Indiana's front office has a fascinating offseason ahead.
