After a recent chatter following
a controversial NBA ballot amongst the players, Tyrese Haliburton
wanted to shake out a shadow that has been cast over
him.
“Overrated.”
Some people say, Haliburton is
too unselfish, too pass-first, not a “killer”, and not a “real” No.
1 option.
But on a loud night in
Cleveland, with the result all but raining down and the Indiana
Pacers securing a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference
Finals, Haliburton didn’t have to say a word. The scoreboard, the
series tally, and the stunned expressions on the 64-win Cleveland
Cavaliers’ team and crowd spoke loudly enough.
The Pacers have won in 5 games
against a team that was supposed to outclass them. This wasn’t just
an upset — it was a dismantling. And it was proof that Haliburton’s
style, and this Pacers team, are not just good enough. They’re
built the right way, and they’re built to last.
A system that works, a star that believes
Haliburton didn’t need 40-point
nights to make his impact felt. He orchestrated, he read the floor
two steps ahead, and he elevated everyone around him. In the
closeout Game 5 win, his stat line — 31 points, 8 assists, 6
rebounds, 6 threes — was a masterclass in control. What he did was
subtle, surgical, and suffocating for Cleveland.
Indiana picked apart the
Cavaliers with relentless pace, smart spacing, and constant
movement. Kenny Atkinson’s squad, known for its defensive tenacity
during the regular season, looked overwhelmed trying to keep up.
Evan Mobley was stretched thin. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell
were hunted. The Cavaliers had no answers for the tempo.
And it wasn’t just Haliburton.
Andrew Nembhard’s two-way brilliance, Myles Turner’s timely rim
protection, Pascal Siakam’s veteran calm, and Obi Toppin’s
injection of energy all contributed to a five-game win that felt
like a statement. Indiana is not just fun anymore. They are
contending.
The blueprint of a contender
This isn’t a superteam. This is
a team that became great through vision, patience, and precision,
led by brilliant veteran head coach Rick Carlisle.
The foundation was built through
the draft: Turner, the lone holdover from the Paul George era, grew
into a versatile anchor. Nembhard, Sheppard, Mathurin — all young
players with composure beyond their years.
They traded smartly: getting
Haliburton in exchange for Domantas Sabonis felt controversial at
first, but it’s now one of the most lopsided deals in recent
memory. Adding Siakam at the deadline was a masterstroke — he
brought championship pedigree without disrupting the flow. He
didn’t just buy into the system; he elevated it.
And their free agent signings
were understated but vital. TJ McConnell remains the heartbeat off
the bench. Aaron Nesmith has become a true 3-and-D weapon. Thomas
Bryant and Obi Toppin give this team depth and
versatility.
There’s no ego here, there is
just cohesion and belief.
“We know what we have,” head
coach Rick Carlisle said after Game 5. “We’ve got guys who care
more about the next pass than the last shot. That’s
special.”
Tyrese Haliburton’s rise wasn’t
fueled by noise. It’s been built quietly, piece by piece, through
reading defenses and manipulating tempo, through making stars out
of role players and rhythm out of chaos.
He’s not a flamethrower like
Steph. He’s not a bulldozer like Giannis. He’s something rarer: a
point guard who makes everyone better without needing to dominate.
And for some, that doesn’t fit the mold of a superstar.
But to call him overrated?
That’s lazy.
The Pacers are an elite team
this season when Haliburton hits double digits in assists. He led
the NBA in transition assists. He’s made Nembhard and Mathurin look
like seasoned playoff guards. He’s allowed Siakam – a two-time
All-NBA forward – to shine even more.
In Game 4, when Cleveland tried
blitzing him high to take the ball out of his hands, Haliburton
calmly hit roller after roller. In Game 5, when they sat back in
drop, he punished them with floaters and kick-outs. Every
adjustment they made, he countered not with bravado but with
brilliance.
The overrated label was never
about him. It was about people misunderstanding the kind of
greatness he brings.
The road back to the Eastern Conference
Finals
A year ago, Indiana reached the
Eastern Conference Finals and ran headfirst into a Boston Celtics
juggernaut. They seemed like they weren’t ready after faltering
multiple times in the clutch in the series. The moment felt too
big, and the lights were too bright.
But this year, it’s
different.
They’re deeper, smarter, and
hungrier. And perhaps most importantly, they know exactly who they
are.
Back-to-back Eastern Conference
Finals appearances might not come with parades, but in a small
market like Indianapolis, it’s validation. This is a franchise that
didn’t bottom out or chase shortcuts. They stayed the course,
invested in character and chemistry, and trusted a 6-foot-5 guard
with a quirky jump shot and a genius-level basketball brain to be
their face of the future.
And Haliburton has delivered
splendidly, and he continues to strive for more.
In an era where teams try to
fast-track success with star pairings and flash, the Indiana Pacers
remain the outliers. They’ve built a contender by doing the little
things right, over the years, not months.
This win over Cleveland – a team
with one of the league’s best records, a suffocating defense, and a
very good team with three all-stars – isn’t just an upset. It’s a
coronation of the Pacers’ philosophy, and it’s a resounding
reminder that basketball is still a team sport.
Tyrese Haliburton may never be
the kind of player who drops 50 on any given night or leads the
league in scoring. But he’ll control the game, he’ll lift his
teammates, and he will try to win.
That’s his style, and that will
be his greatness. Overrated? Maybe to those who only see box
scores. But to those watching closely – the coaches, the peers, the
Pacers’ faithful – Haliburton is redefining what it means to be a
superstar.
And as Indiana marches back to
the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s clear: You can doubt Tyrese
Haliburton if you want. Just don’t bet against him.
