Pacers HC Talks Concern in Tyrese Haliburton Game 1 Struggles

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98 in Game 1 of their NBA playoff series. The Pacers were dominant pretty much all the way through, going up by nearly 30 points at times in the middle of the game.

Overall, the Pacers played a great game, but one player’s stat line stood out for the wrong reason.

More Indiana Pacers news: Pacers Could Now Face Damian Lillard in Postseason Following Latest Injury Update

Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a tough game, finishing with just ten points on 3-13 shooting.

Rick Carlisle was asked about Haliburton’s game in a postgame press conference, and he provided an interesting thought on him.

Carlisle on Haliburton: "I don't worry about his shooting. It took a while for him to get on the board," but says he likes his patience.
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) April 19, 2025

“I don't worry about his shooting. It took a while for him to get on the board," Carlisle said. He also went on to say he liked Haliburton’s patience.

Given Haliburton also added 10 assists and seven rebounds, it’s not like Haliburton provided nothing to the team. He didn’t shoot the ball well, including going 0-7 from three, but he still ran the offense well and helped his teammates play better.

Carlisle should also feel better about the team’s performance as a whole, as they dominated the Bucks despite a rough shooting outing from Haliburton. It is unlikely Haliburton continues to struggle. He had 47/39/85 shooting splits, a far cry from his Game 1 shooting splits.

Haliburton being patient scoring the ball isn’t a bad thing for the Pacers given they have plenty of other scorers who can carry the load, but the team does need their point guard to be more efficient.

He should keep shooting to keep the defense honest, but not as much if he has another goose egg from shooting from beyond the arc.

More Indiana Pacers: Pacers Given Paltry Odds to Win 2025 NBA Championship

Another interesting aspect of this series regarding Haliburton is how he will fare once Damian Lillard returns. Both players play the same position, but are unlikely to be directly matched up too often given each’s lesser ability on the defensive end compared to their teammates, but both are key parts of their team’s offenses.

The two were also seen talking trash during a timeout late in the game, so maybe a Lillard return would inject some life into Haliburton’s play.

After just one game, it seems like a bit of an overreaction to be worried about Haliburton’s game, and just like he showed patience, Carlisle and Pacers fans should continue to be patient with him.

For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, head on over to Indiana Pacers on SI.