Tyrese Haliburton gives Indiana Pacers All-Star level performance vs Boston Celtics
Tyrese Haliburton's name has been in the news this week for various reasons. Some of them are related to his strong play, as he has 48 points and 18 assists in two games for the Indiana Pacers.
Another reason is because of Wally Szczerbiak, a former NBA All-Star who now works as an analyst for MSG Networks. Szczerbiak was breaking down the end of the Knicks battle vs the Pacers on Sunday night and called Haliburton a "wannabe, fake All-Star." He apologized for the comments later in the week.
In an interview with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks, Haliburton addressed the comments and noted that he hasn't ever said anything about wanting to be an All-Star. Instead, he let his game talk for him on Wednesday night when he carved up the Boston Celtics.
Haliburton started off the game hot, scoring 15 points and dishing out five assists in just the first quarter. The Pacers followed suit, they led 42-22 after the first frame and went on a 26-2 run to set the tone for the night.
With five second quarter points, the third-year pro had 20 points and five assists by halftime. Indiana had a massive 28-point lead at the break, and Haliburton's strong play was a big reason why.
In the second half, Haliburton received more defensive attention. That hasn't been a problem for him of late, and it wasn't again in this game. He dished out three assists and scored 13 points in the second half, and he scored or assisted on all nine Pacers points during the final five minutes of play. Indiana had a rough second half and lost almost all of their 30-point first half lead, but Haliburton did enough to guide the team to a win down the stretch.
"Tyrese Haliburton is our All-Star... he has completely changed the trajectory of our franchise," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said after the win, per the Pacers. Haliburton finished with 33 points and eight assists; it was the third-highest scoring night of his career.
The Pacers have noted often this season that Haliburton will look to give the team exactly what they need on a given night. If that's passing, he will create shots for his teammates. If that's differing, he will get out of the way and provide spacing. If it's scoring, like it was in Boston on Wednesday, then Haliburton will look to score. Against the reigning Eastern Conference Champions, he attacked ferociously and attempted 24 shots, the most he has taken in one game during his career.
In a week where Haliburton's name has been in the headlines, he showed up in Boston and put his game on display. He tore apart the Celtics' seventh-ranked defense and helped the Pacers get back to .500. It was an All-Star level performance from an All-Star level talent.
The Eastern Conference has a strong field of players this season, so Haliburton is not a lock to make the All-Star squad. But he certainly has a great case, and nights like the one he had in Boston will keep him firmly in the conversation. He is one total point away from having averages of 20 points and 10.6 assists per game this year, the latter of which leads the league. If he keeps up that production, and the Pacers keep winning, Haliburton may be headed to Salt Lake City for All-Star proceedings in February.
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