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LeBron James Calls Out Tyrese Haliburton Detractors Amid Another Strong Playoff Game

Tim Capurso

James was wondering where all those who said Haliburton was overrated were.
James was wondering where all those who said Haliburton was overrated were. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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The Athletic's anonymous player poll created plenty of headlines after Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton was voted the NBA's most overrated player.

While Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was livid with the results of the poll, Haliburton himself took the players' opinion in stride, then went out and helped his Pacers to a first-round series win over the Milwaukee Bucks. On Tuesday night, Haliburton continued to make the poll age like spoiled milk, as he scored 17 points and drained five three-pointers in the second quarter of Game 5 of the conference semifinals, in which his Pacers lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-1.

Amidt that monster second quarter, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James called out Haliburton's detractors.

James likely already knew it, but he got to see firsthand how good Haliburton is when he was his teammate on the United States national team at the Paris Olympics this past summer. And James clearly doesn't want to hear any overrated talk when it comes to Haliburton, who is on the doorstep of leading the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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