Tyrese Haliburton claps back with brutal comeback after NBA Finals heroics, sheds ‘most overrated’ label
ByHT Sports Desk
Jun 07, 2025 04:48 PM IST
Tyrese Haliburton had a sharp response to critics who had been overly negative about Indiana Pacers after his game-winning shot.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is having a legacy-defining playoff run, sinking a fourth game-deciding last-second shot in their playoff run to take game 1 of the NBA Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers trailed for the entirety of game 1 at Paycom Center, but Haliburton’s jump-shot with less than a second left put his team in the lead, and sealed an upset victory.
Tyrese Haliburton scored a game-winning jumpshot to give the Indiana Pacers a 111-110 lead vs Oklahoma City Thunder, which is where the game would finish.(AP)
Tyrese Haliburton scored a game-winning jumpshot to give the Indiana Pacers a 111-110 lead vs Oklahoma City Thunder, which is where the game would finish.(AP)
Haliburton, who was voted as the most overrated player in the NBA in a poll taken of players and coaches during the NBA regular season, has flipped the script on his personal standing by leading the unheralded Pacers to the Finals. This wasn’t something that Haliburton has forgotten, and is in fact using as a form of motivation. Speaking to ESPN basketball analyst Scott Van Pelt after game one, Haliburton brought up how he has been on the receiving end of severe criticism throughout the season.
“The other night on my show, I put my hand up and I said, look, I was late to the party on it,” said Van Pelt about the Pacers and their remarkable run.
Haliburton was happy to take Van Pelt’s apology, but also fired back at some of his critics by pointing out that many high-profile names were still bullish on downplaying the quality of the Pacers team. “You're a real one, but a lot of your counterparts won't admit that now.”
Pacers with early lead in finals series
Pacers, who had reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023-24, started the 2024-25 season with a 10-15 record. However, a 12-3 run over the Christmas period put the team back on track for the playoffs.
They have made a mark in the playoffs by beating the Milwaukee Bucks and the one-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in five games each, before winning the Eastern Conference by beating the New York Knicks in six games.
Through the Pacers’ run, they have impressed with fluid, lightning-fast basketball, supercharged by Haliburton’s playmaking and best-in-the-league passing ability. While Haliburton had an off day in game 1 vs OKC, scoring 14 points and gathering only 6 assists, his ability to guide his team to a win leaves the team in a strong position at the start of this crucial playoff series.
Indiana Pacers
News / Sports / US Sports / Tyrese Haliburton claps back with brutal comeback after NBA Finals heroics, sheds ‘most overrated’ label
See Less