Wally Szczerbiak issues an apology to Tyrese Haliburton after calling him "fake All-Star"

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has carved quite a name for himself as a franchise cornerstone and potential All-Star this season. While responding to some recent criticism, the guard also made Wally Szczerbiak backtrack on his comments about him.

Since moving to the Indiana Pacers from the Sacramento Kings last season, 22-year-old Tyrese Haliburton has taken massive strides in improving as a player. While he displayed immense potential in Sacramento, Indiana appears to be the ideal place for the young star to develop his craft.

In light of his development, Haliburton has earned a lot of praise from players, fans and analysts alike. Given Indiana's recent performances, some have even viewed the young Pacers guard as a potential All-Star this season.

Many agree with this notion. With an average of 19.5 points and 10.7 assists per game to go with a 16-16 record, Haliburton has been beyond impressive with this young squad.

However, every star-caliber player is always subject to criticism. Haliburton had recently become the topic of some ridicule as former NBA player and current Knicks analyst Wally Szczerbiak referred to him as a "fake All-Star" and a "wannabe All-Star."

Read: Tyrese Haliburton fires back at Wally Szczerbiak who tried disrespecting him on-air: “I was really questioning, who is this?”

Haliburton himself had no idea why he was on the receiving end of such criticism. In an interview, the Pacers guard also mentioned that Szczerbiak may have just gotten carried away after a rather hard-fought Knicks win against Indiana.

Haliburton's response to Szczerbiak's criticism also garnered some attention. However, it led to a response from Szczerbiak, who backtracked and apologized for his comments on the Pacers guard.

He amended his statement by saying:

"I want to apologize personally to Tyrese Haliburton…wonderful young player…definitely in the All-Star conversation."

In light of the comments, Haliburton came out with a point to prove against the Boston Celtics. He led his team to a much-needed win, helping the Pacers snap a two-game losing streak.

Kicking off their three-game road trip with a win is undoubtedly great for the young team. With momentum on their side, Haliburton and the Pacers will hope to build upon this as they continue their efforts to remain in the playoff picture.

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Tyrese Haliburton's performance against the Boston Celtics

Tyrese Haliburton was nothing short of masterful against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. Coming off a second-straight loss and facing major backlash from Knicks analyst Wally Szczerbiak, Haliburton played with a massive chip on his shoulder.

However, these factors spurred a truly epic performance from the young guard as he scored 33 points against one of the best defensive units in the NBA. With an additional eight assists to go with his points tally, Haliburton truly presented himself as Indiana's star.

Read: "Tyrese Haliburton is the best young shot creator in pro basketball" – NBA analyst compares Indiana Pacers star to Chris Paul

Spurred by Haliburton's scoring effort, the Indiana Pacers also saw impressive performances from Aaron Nesmith and Myles Turner. With the entire team shooting over 45% from beyond the arc, the Pacers fired on all cylinders against a declining Celtics unit.

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The Indiana Pacers exhibit typical tendencies of a young roster as they lose focus at the end of games. However, while finding a way to hold on against Boston, Indiana managed to improve to .500 on the season.