After the Indiana Pacers got a big win over the Brooklyn Nets, there seemed to be a bit of a situation between players on both sides. Trendon Watford seemed to confront Tyrese Haliburton and issued a scary omen to the side. Watford noted that the Pacers were having a down year because he, an undrafted player in the NBA, was getting doubled. Haliburton rightfully questioned where he was coming from regarding this.
Trendon Watford: “I just got doubled by a playoff team. I’m undrafted and I’m getting doubled. You’re having a down year.”
Tyrese Haliburton: “So am I. What are you talking about?”
Thomas Bryants reaction to this 😭
Watford kept repeating "I just got doubled by a playoff team"
then said "you're having a down year" as he's walking off
Siakam said something but i couldn't make it out pic.twitter.com/31WEg2mSoJ
— AKRiley (@AKRileyy5) March 23, 2025
The conversation between the two looked tense, as several members of both sides, along with some nearby security staff quickly rushed to the two and got in between them to make sure that things did not escalate into any kind of physicality or violence. Luckily, nothing of the sort happened, as Watford walked off after his comments to Haliburton.
One can understand where Watford is coming from, as he feels that the Pacers, a team that just went to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, shouldn’t have to double-team him, an undrafted player in the NBA, in order to keep up with him. But it is a silly qualm to have given where we are in the season.
Firstly, going undrafted in the NBA is by no means an assessment of your quality as a player. At the end of the day, getting drafted in the NBA comes down to a lot of factors, such as team needs, lottery placement, and player profiles. For Watford to use his undrafted status as some sort of get-back at the Pacers is bizarre, and a bit of a tell on himself.
Secondly, there is no unwritten rule in the NBA that playoff-level teams cannot double players on teams that are floundering. Double-teaming players is a tactic some of the best NBA teams use indiscriminately, and there is no thought given to the quality of players when making such decisions. Rather, it comes down to what the team is trying to achieve in a defensive possession.
But this isn’t to say that what Watford said has no merit. While his point about being doubled feels a little out of nowhere, he is right about the Pacers having a down year this season. They do not feel anywhere close to the team that became a dark horse last season with their play, earning their way to an Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers started the season quite poorly. But after a strong run in January, they have rebounded to earn a 41-29 record and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They can conceivably move up to the third seed in the coming weeks but would need the Knicks to drop some games to do so.
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