Pacers' Myles Turner Says Tyrese Haliburton Had 'Unnecessary Pressure' on H im This Year

The Pacers center thinks that the All-NBA guard was dealing with too much pressure to start the season.

Dec 8, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) talk during a timeout during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers started this season with a lot of expectations after they made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. It was a very unexpected run that most in the NBA didn't see coming.

Heading into this year, the Pacers decided to keep pretty much the same roster together that made that run. They brought everyone who contributed to that run back expecting similar results.

Tyrese Haliburton was an All-NBA performer last season, mainly on the strength of how well he played in the first half of the season before getting hurt. This year, expectations were higher because he was supposed to be healthy.

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Haliburton had a rough start to the year and seemed to struggle with the expectations that he had on him. His teammates agree that he had unnecessary pressure on him to begin the season.

Myles Turner mentioned that he thought Haliburton was trying too hard to live up to these expectations.

"I think that there was a lot of just unnecessary pressure on him before the All-Star break," Turner said. "You know what I mean? To try to prove something. I think he took his licks at the beginning of the season. Everybody was talking crazy about him. 'Is he this? Is he that?' I think he just really weathered the storm."

Haliburton has played much better after the All-Star break. In fact, in the four games since the break, he has averaged 25.7 points, 11.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game.

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Turner has been playing very well since coming back from his injury, as well. The combination of the Haliburton/Turner pick-and-pop has been very deadly.

Haliburton mentioned that he is finally playing free after the All-Star break.

"I'm just playing free, having fun," Haliburton said. "It always helps to see the first one go in. You just kind of react from there. I just thought I did a good job of staying aggressive all night, doing what was needed."

The Pacers will go as far in the playoffs as Haliburton will take them. He needs to be great for the team to be great.

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