Tyrese Haliburton finds unlikely ally in Joel Embiid to give him mental edge amid Pacers' stunning playoff run

The odds were stacked against Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton before the second-round series between the Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers. The former All-Star guard has faced negativity throughout his playoff run. Luckily for him, he has a big supporter giving him advice on his playoff run; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.

Embiid and Tyrese Haliburton bonded over the summer while playing for Team USA in the Olympics, and their relationship hasn't dissolved since the season began. The former MVP has been texting with Haliburton throughout his playoff run, telling the young guard how to handle the shade that gets thrown at him by fans and his peers.

According to The Athletic's Jared Weiss, Embiid is also telling Haliburton to be more aggressive offensively. The advice is working so far, and Haliburton is leading his team into Game 3 with a 2-0 advantage over the Cavaliers. The 25-year-old isn't the flashiest player in the NBA, but he is coming through for his team when it matters most, hitting two game-winning shots so far in the playoffs.

Despite the fact that he often finds himself competing against them, Tyrese Haliburton said in an interview with Weiss this week that Jayson Tatum and Embiid have helped him learn how to deal with the scrutiny that the league's brightest stars are subjected to each season.

"Haliburton credits Embiid and Tatum for ‘keeping it 100’ conversations that helped him build that immunity to rejection," said Weiss on the relationship between the stars. "Embiid, who has been subject to ridicule as he fails to stay healthy, has been texting with Haliburton throughout the postseason, imploring him to shoot the ball more."

Tyrese Haliburton has implemented the advice he's received from his fellow Olympians, quickly becoming one of the most mature young stars in the game. When his father approached Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Pacers eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, Haliburton was quick to acknowledge the situation in a press conference and handled things perfectly.

Tyrese Haliburton is still working on earning the respect of his peers

While Tyrese Haliburton already has a gold medal, two All-Star appearances and an All-NBA selection in just five years in the league, he still doesn't receive as much respect from his peers as other stars do. In their annual player survey results, The Athletic revealed that Haliburton is considered the most overrated player currently playing in the league.

Whether it is because they don't like how he carries himself or the fact that he was on Team USA over names like Jalen Brunson and Jaylen Brown, there is distaste around the league for Haliburton. It seems, however, that he is determined to prove them wrong and earn their respect with this year's playoff run.

Tyrese Haliburton sunk the Bucks with clutch shots in a series-clinching Game 5 win, and he led an improbable Game 2 comeback over Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers. His game-winning three-pointer over Ty Jerome was his second of the postseason, cementing his status as a clutch playoff performer. With the help of his fellow stars, Haliburton is silencing his haters, one by one.