The Indiana Pacers is one of the names of this beginning of the course and this is, precisely, thanks to Tyrese Haliburton. With an unorthodox style and unparalleled speed, the 23-year-old point guard has placed himself at the forefront of the race for MVP from NBA. Every season has a player who is unlikely to win the award, but who due to his own performance will have arguments to support his candidacy. Quick, quick, decisive and able to change the temperature of a match just by touching the ball, Haliburton showed in this first quarter of the season that he is a star in the makingone to follow very closely and not miss a single game.
The spectacle is an essential part of the NBA. And having players capable of promoting that, taking games beyond their limits, is what makes this league a true reference. However, there is no more important factor in raising the level of attention than a figure capable of commanding everyone’s attention thanks to his spectacular play style. Haliburton is one of them.
The Pacers star is proving this season that spacing is just a matter of perception, as well as capturing good and bad shot selection. His skill set makes him an example of what orthodoxy stands for in this sport. His shooting technique is very functional, ergonomic and efficient and his attacking approach makes him unstoppable on the dribble.
A few facts to illustrate this.
Only Nikola Jokic (76.2) gives more passes than Haliburton per game (70.2), but no one is producing more points through participation by the Pacers point guard (31.5). Theirs departments At the rim they make him the most reliable player in the entire league with 62.1% accuracy and only 3.1% of those actions result in a turnover. And only Jalen Brunson (43.8%) can shoot better 3-pointers off the bounce than the aforementioned Haliburton, with a brilliant 43.8% on 6.6 attempts.
All while leading the NBA in direct block management by occupying it 97.3 percentile producing 1.24 points per possession.
In short, this early in the season there isn’t another player as complete offensively as Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers star directs, manages, scores and decides, being the backbone and driving force of a team that has reached the semifinals of the NBA tournament, knocking off the beloved Celtics after a memorable performance. An action that also served to claim him as one of his most dangerous clutch. The former Kings player accounted for 14 of Indiana’s final 24 points, either on field goals (7 points) or assists (3).
It also includes one of the projects of the night:
WELL, TYRESE HALIBURTON 😱
TRIPLE CLUTCH. AND ONE
🏀 Celtics/Pacers on TNT
🏆 The winner advances to the Knockout Rounds semifinals in Las Vegas on Thursday pic.twitter.com/f9K9LzQjpJ—NBA (@NBA) December 5, 2023
Sign up to NBA League Pass to see all games: United States | The rest of the world
His name may not have as much notoriety as other MVP candidates, but objectively Haliburton has what it takes to at least deserve that consideration. The 23-year-old player records unprecedented statistics in NBA history, with 26.9 points, 11.9 assists and a brilliant 44.7% on 3-pointers.
Being a great scorer is common in this league, as is shooting well from distance or passing the ball well. Combining all these factors while your team wins is only accessible to a select few. Haliburton could be one of them in the coming years.
The explosion of the Pacers’ point guard has a double effect. Not only does it put Indiana and its interesting work on the map, but it also vindicates the figure of the American player in the race for MVP. In fact, since the 2017-2018 season all winners of the award have been born outside of the North American country, with LeBron James being the latest in 2020 to be a finalist for the award. That losing streak of top individual recognition could end soon, especially if Haliburton can put Indiana in the top spots in the East for much of the stretch.
This is not a minor issue, especially in a league as media-heavy as the NBA, where narratives drive its entire internal machinery. Someone like Tyrese Haliburton, whose game quickly catches the eye, modern style and infectious charisma, can become one of the faces of the competition in record time.
Fans in the United Statesyou can watch the best games of the 2023-2024 NBA season Sling TV. Register by clicking here.
