Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has been having a postseason run for the ages. But the young guard has had help from legends of the game. WNBA legend Sue Bird recently shared that the Pacers guard had reached out to her for advice on reading the moments in games when he had to take over.
While speaking with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks on the matter, Bird said:
“Well, clearly he’s figured it out. I think my favorite part about watching Tyrese in this run is – Yes, the clutch play, the big moments – But it’s been a little up and down at times. And that’s the reality.”
“I think a lot of times, you talk about top players or top All-Stars, and you see their great play. But it always comes with a bad quarter, a bad game, a bad stretch, and it’s really how you respond to that.”
“That’s always the differentiator between good players and great players. Where he may not have the best stretch ever. But he’s finding ways to win the game, he’s hitting the big shots, and he’s finding his teammates.”
As per Rooks, Haliburton reached out to Bird in the first round of the playoffs and had extensive conversations with her. Considering his performances in the postseason since then, it is fair to say that the legend’s advice helped the Pacers guard figure things out.
The 25-year-old has been one of the most exciting players to watch in the postseason. Whether it’s his playmaking or scoring ability in clutch situations, Haliburton has looked like one of the best players in the playoffs, a potential retort to the “overrated” claims put against him.
After a solid 4-1 first-round win against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers made quick work of the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in five games as well. Haliburton played a crucial role in seeing his team through these wins, averaging 17.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game.
The first two rounds of the playoffs saw at least one extremely poor performance from the Pacers’ star. Coincidentally, these would be the games where Indiana came up with losses. This is a testament to how important he has been to their winning schemes, and the series against New York has only continued to display that.
Game 4 against the Knicks was one of the finest individual performances of Haliburton’s young career. While leading his team to an emphatic 130-121 win at home, the 25-year-old recorded a triple-double of 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists.
To make the performance even more spectacular, he notched zero turnovers, making him the first NBA player to record 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 15+ assists on zero turnovers.
The Pacers will hope the team continues this form heading into Game 5 as well. With an opportunity to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, Indiana would do well to close the series out in New York on Thursday at 8:00 pm ET.
