Why Does the NBA Keep Sleeping on Tyrese Haliburton’s Talent?
The Indiana Pacers shocked everyone with their playoff run to the NBA Finals, and Tyrese Haliburton has been a major reason behind.
Give the Man His Flowers
It wasn’t supposed to happen this season. This was the time of year when fans of Hoosier State basketball would be immersed in (a currently injured) Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, while also looking ahead to Darian DeVries’ first season taking over as coach in Bloomington.
However, no one told the Indiana Pacers. As of this writing, the NBA Finals are about to begin, with the Pacers opposing the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder.
Fourth-seeded in the East, Indiana dusted both the Milwaukee Bucks and top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. Then the Pacers took down the New York Knicks in six to earn a first championship berth in a quarter-century (before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-2).
They’ve been fearless, winning on the road as regularly as inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, hardly resembling the one swept by the Boston Celtics in the conference finals last season.
Look no further than their point guard play. Tyrese Haliburton's stats during the postseason include averaging 18.8 points per game (that’s second to Pascal Siakam) and a league-leading 9.8 assists during the postseason. Throw in 5½ rebounds and one-plus steals per game.
The twenty-five-year-old Halburton used to be one of the best-kept secrets in NBA scores.
The secret’s out.
Originally the 12th overall selection by the Sacramento Kings in 2020, he was shipped to Indiana as part of the multi-player deal in February 2022. Since then, it’s been three consecutive 20-plus points per game seasons, a pair of All-Star berths (though not this past season), and an average of nearly 11 assists/game.
Here’s a primer on the ‘do not sleep on’ Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers and the NBA schedule…
Who Is Favored to Win the NBA Finals 2025?
It’s no surprise the Oklahoma City Thunder are a lopsided favorite to win their first title since life as the Seattle SuperSonics. It’s OKC’s league-best 68-14 record at -660 to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Conversely, the Indiana Pacers, 50-32 during the season, are 24-5 (+480) underdogs entering the best-of-seven series, which the NBA schedule began on Thursday, June 4th.
Historians note that while the Pacers have never won a title in the NBA since joining with the merger in 1976, they were thrice ABA champions, arguably the best franchise in the decade-long existence of that league.
Can You Wear 69 in the NBA?
Do not waste your time finding a player who wears No. 69 in NBA games. There’s an obvious reason it’s taboo, and since this is family-friendly prose, we are going to leave it at that.
Take it one step further, there’s nary a player in the history of the NBA or the gone-but-not-forgotten ABA who’s worn that number.
Does BetUS Offer Constant Updates on NBA Finals Betting Lines?
Indeed. There are individual NBA scores, game and series odds available, along with additional props around individual games, players, and the length of The Finals. There is a board with the biggest individual postseason award, the MVP of the Finals (honoring Bill Russell).
So, something to suit every taste when it comes to NBA Finals betting odds.
Any Final Thoughts?
Anyone not familiar with Tyrese Haliburton's stats can arrange to have the player himself recite them as one of the better trash-talkers in the league. Whether that’s sufficient to orchestrate what would be a monumental stunner in the 2025 NBA Finals remains to be seen.
