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'He's the face of the NBA': Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George shares bold declaration about Tyrese Haliburton amid Indiana Pacers' conference finals run
Tyrese Haliburton and Paul George. Image via: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Indiana Pacers are inches closer to what could be a historic return to the NBA Finals. Now, all eyes are on their young star Tyrese Haliburton. While Indiana stumbled in Game 5 against the New York Knicks, the spotlight remains firmly on Haliburton.
Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George recently delivered high praise, calling Haliburton 'the face of the NBA' while asserting that Haliburton is reaching superstardom.
Paul George hails Tyrese Haliburton as a superstar in the making
In his recent podcast Podcast P with Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George didn't hold back when discussing Haliburton's emergence as a league leader.
'He's the face of the NBA,' George declared. 'I've heard a lot of people critique Tyrese Haliburton.
Some of it's fair, some of it's a stretch… This is his coming out party. He's established now. This is what we expect from him on a nightly basis.'
Paul George on If Tyrese Haliburton Has Reached Superstar Status
George acknowledged Haliburton's role in the Pacers' postseason success, including leading the team to the NBA's first in-season tournament and showing consistent late-game heroics.
'He's been a clutch performer late in games. I think he's got one of the highest closing percentages in the NBA,' George said.
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'He's proven he's reliable as the number one option.'
Although Haliburton is primarily a pass-first point guard, George praised his versatility, 'He can be your late-game scorer. He can be an isolation player… He scratched the surface of superstardom. He's here.'
But with high praise comes high expectations, and that pressure showed in Game 5. The Pacers fell flat in Madison Square Garden, losing 111-94 and allowing the Knicks to cut the series deficit to 3-2.
Haliburton, who was electric in Game 4 with a triple-double, managed just 8 points in the loss.
Following the game, Haliburton was not losing his mind over the loss. He urged his team to stay focused.
'We're a resilient group,' he told ESPN. 'We understand what the stakes are... We're fine. There's no need to panic or anything.'
That mindset will be crucial in Game 6, especially with analysts like Charles Barkley calling it a 'must-win' for Indiana.
If they lose at home, a Game 7 in New York looms.
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Paul George summed it up, 'You show that you can do it on a night-in, night-out basis. Now with the target on your back, that's when you're bonafide. That's when you're solidified.'
For Haliburton and the Pacers, Game 6 could be that defining moment.
