Tyrese Haliburton Silences Critics With Game 2 Masterclass After ‘Most Overrated’ Label
The lights were bright, the stakes even brighter. But Tyrese Haliburton was unfazed.
Just hours after being voted the NBA’s “most overrated player” by his peers in The Athletic’s annual anonymous poll, the Indiana Pacers star walked into Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a grin—and left with a statement win. Haliburton powered the Pacers to a 123–115 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 of their playoff series, tallying 21 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds to help Indiana take a commanding 2–0 lead.
If this is what “overrated” looks like, every team could use some of it.
The poll, released earlier that day, saw Haliburton top the list with 14.4% of the vote—beating out the likes of Rudy Gobert, Trae Young, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jimmy Butler. But by game’s end, the noise was drowned out by his performance.
“I must be doing something right if that’s the case,” Haliburton told reporters. “All I care about is this locker room and winning games… I know who I am. I’m confident in my own skin and not worried what anybody thinks.”
— via The Athletic
Command Performance
Haliburton wasted no time asserting control. He dished three assists to open the game, orchestrated Indiana’s franchise-record 40-point first quarter, and finished the night as just the second Pacer ever to log multiple playoff games with 20+ points and 10+ assists.
The flash was there—no-look dimes, a step-back three over Damian Lillard, and an icy glare to match. But the substance backed it all up.
“Anybody who’s watched me play throughout my career knows who I am,” Haliburton said. “I’m an emotional guy… I just want to win.”
— via NBA.com
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t shy about his feelings on the player poll.
“This is a bulls— poll,” Carlisle said. “Not everybody even answered… Guys were able to skip it if they wanted. It’s a shameful thing.”
— via The Athletic
Thriving in the Spotlight
Haliburton has never been one to shy away from criticism. He uses it as fuel—and on Tuesday night, he turned it into fire.
“He makes us go, so we’re going to ride with Tyrese until the wheels fall off,” teammate Pascal Siakam said. “He can impact the game not just by scoring, but by opening the floor for everybody else… and doing it with swag.”
— via NBA.com
Even in heated moments—like a fourth-quarter showdown with Lillard—Haliburton stayed locked in.
“If there’s got to be a little back and forth, there’s got to be a little back and forth,” he said. “But I’m here to win.”
— via NBA.com
The Face of the Franchise
At 25, Haliburton is a two-time All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist, and the undeniable leader of a Pacers team making waves in the Eastern Conference. Whether some label him overrated or not doesn’t matter.
The scoreboard does.
The Pacers are up 2–0. Haliburton is leading the charge. And the league is officially on notice.