'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Tyrese Haliburton’s career-high 43 points in a huge 111-108 win against the Miami Heat strengthens his case for an NBA All-Star selection. The Indiana Pacers point guard hit 14-20 field goal attempts, including a sizzling 10-16 clip from beyond the arc.
Behind Haliburton’s career night, the Pacers were able to hold off a nearly full-strength Heat team that had their oft-injured superstars in the lineup. In a seesaw battle that had both teams taking the other’s best punch, Indiana emerged victorious because of their emerging star point guard.
Tyrese Haliburton’s career-high 20.0 points per game is a big reason why the Indiana Pacers are punching above their weight. He’s also dishing an NBA-best 10.6 assists per game to go with 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals.
The Pacers were supposedly in full rebuild mode after they traded Domantas Sabonis last season. Haliburton’s emergence has somehow scuttled that plan in a good way. They now have a legitimate franchise player that can make them a contender for years in the stacked Eastern Conference.
The 22-year-old point guard isn’t only playing lights out against mediocre teams. He’s been playing just as well versus the elite teams in the NBA. Haliburton was spectacular against the Boston Celtics in a road win last Wednesday.
The former Sacramento Kings point guard played 34 minutes and torched the Celtics for 33 points on 12-24 shooting, including 6-13 from deep. Two nights later, he topped it off against the Miami Heat with a career night in scoring.
After playing second fiddle to De’Aaron Fox for a season and a half, Tyrese Haliburton is showing that he is a superstar. With the way he is playing, he should make the NBA All-Star team this season ahead of Fox.
Indiana is holding a 17-16 record, which currently places them 8th in the Eastern Conference. If they can keep this up, they could at least fight for a play-in spot. Unless his play drastically drops, Tyrese Haliburton could play his first All-Star game in February.
Tyrese Haliburton pushes back on Wally Szczerbiak’s uncalled-for criticism
In a 109-106 loss to the New York Knicks last Sunday, former NBA player Wally Szczerbiak ripped Tyrese Haliburton. The basketball analyst called the Indiana Pacers point guard a “fake, wannabe All-Star.”
Haliburton has only made the former Minnesota Timberwolves guard look foolish with back-to-back incredible performances. He also had some stinging words directed at Szczerbiak in an interview with Taylor Rooks:
“I have no clue. I know the name Wally Szczerbiak, but I couldn’t tell you where he played. I couldn’t tell you what he did as a basketball player. I don’t know.
“He had a lot to say about me and I was like really questioning like, first, who is this? And why is he talking about me like this. I don’t know if I ever come out and said like, ‘I wanna be an All-Star this year. Please vote for me.’ I don’t think, I didn’t — I don’t think I’ve done that.
“I don’t know, I think he just was excited about a Knicks win and that got him going. But he’s just doing whatever he can to get attention and that’s just the media these days.”
Tyrese Haliburton’s career-high 43 points is certainly catching attention in the best possible way. He could be a fixture in NBA All-Star games if he keeps up his current form.
