The Athletic asked about one hundred NBA players who they thought was the league’s most overrated player. Tyrese Haliburton got the most votes. Then “Mr. Overrated” did this ….
Goodbye, Cavs. Hello, Eastern Conference Finals.
Not only was Haliburton arguably one of the best players in this series, but he was also one of the most clutch players in this series. After beating the 5th seed Bucks in the playoffs–averaging a double-double with 17.6 points, 11.6 assists, and a series-winning layup–the Pacers and Haliburton went on to face the 1st seed Cavaliers.
To start the series, Haliburton had a 22-point, 13-assist double-double in a 121-112 Pacers win that set the narrative for the series strong. In the second game, Haliburton had 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists with a game-winning step-back three, shocking the Cavs at their home court. Going into the third game, Haliburton struggled in a 126-104 game-three loss, only having four points, five rebounds, and one steal. He contributed better in a game four 109-129 Game-Four win, having 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists, regaining the momentum. Then, when his team needed to close out the series, Halliburton came in clutch with 31 points, six threes, six rebounds, and eight assists.
Halliburton has proven time and time again that he is a clutch player. Whatever you may think about him, one word that doesn’t fit is “overrated.”
