Nine-Year NBA Veteran's Bold Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton Statement

Former Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons shared an interesting take on Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton and Knicks star Jalen Brunson

Feb 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The 2025 Eastern Conference Finals have showcased the enduring rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks. Throughout the playoffs, these two teams have engaged in memorable battles dating back to the 1990s and early 2010s.

With two young stars at the helm for the respective teams in Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton, there are now discussions about which is the better player.

Brunson is averaging 29.9 points per game in 16 playoff games, showcasing his ability to create his own shots and adeptly draw fouls, resulting in frequent trips to the free-throw line. While his offense is elite and his knack for hitting clutch shots is uncanny, he is often targeted on defense by his opponents.

Haliburton, on the other hand, is quite a different player. He is only averaging 19.4 points per game in the playoffs this season, but is averaging 9.8 assists per game in 14 playoff games so far. He has a remarkable 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as well, which has led the Pacers to the top of the leaderboard in team assists at 28.3 per game.

Tyrese Haliburton is the first player in NBA history to drop 30/15/10 with 0 turnovers in a playoff game.

THE DIFFERENCE. pic.twitter.com/lqRJu2c9iO

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 28, 2025

Former Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons appeared on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" to discuss which player is a superstar.

"There's levels. I think there's stars, then superstars and then there's mega-stars...if Steph Curry is a superstar, Tyrese Haliburton can't be, because they're not on the same level of fame and global recognition and impact of the game and everything that comes with a superstar," Parsons said.

"He was perfect last night," Parsons continued to say about Haliburton. "Westbrook is a superstar still because of what he did in his resumé...even Jalen Brunson is more of a superstar than Tyrese Haliburton."

"If Steph Curry is a superstar, Tyrese Haliburton can't be...even Jalen Brunson is more of a superstar than Tyrese Haliburton" 👀

Chandler Parsons says there's 'levels' to stardom in the NBA and 'superstar' is used too often 🗣️@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/ZMNpRt14GG

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 28, 2025

While Brunson is averaging more points per game, it is Haliburton who had one of the greatest games in playoff history, tallying a triple-double without a single turnover. The Pacers are now up 3-1 on the New York Knicks, and Haliburton is one win away from reaching his first NBA Finals.

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