Tyrese Haliburton has been phenomenal this year. And today we ask the question: Is the Indiana Pacers floor general the best point guard in the Eastern Conference? We examine that question and four reasons why he is absolutely is the best point guard in the east.
He is the only point guard in the Eastern Conference to win an NBA Player of the Week award.
This may not seem like a big thing to many, but to Indiana Pacers fans, it’s a validation of how well the season has been going for Haliburton. Haliburton has been on a tear this season, living up to the high expectations that many across the league had for him in 22-23. In the month of November, Tyrese is averaging 19 points and 12 assists.
Sure, there are things not to like about his performances so far. His defense could use some work still, but the Pacers as a whole have shown what looks to be a steady improvement over the course of the season. Sometimes he has games where he gets a little turnover prone, but ultimately his assist-to-turnover ratio has still been great.
Other Eastern Conference players of the week on the season have been names such as Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jayson Tatum. Tyrese is sitting amongst elite company with this honor.
Yet this honor alone does not show that he is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference, as it could be one with a prolonged hot streak. To do that, we must look at three more metrics of Haliburton’s success so far this season.
Haliburton is the 3rd highest point guard in win shares behind Steph Curry and Luka Doncic, and the top point guard in the eastern conference.
Win shares are not a perfect metric, but they are generally indicative of how important a player is to their team. And to claim that Haliburton is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference, we must compare him to others in his position.
Currently, Tyrese is the third-highest point guard (7th overall) in the NBA in win shares. The only other two? Steph Curry (1st overall) and Luka Doncic (2nd overall), both of whom could bid for the best player in the NBA at the moment. Yet both of those point guards play in the western conference.
The next closest point guard from the eastern conference? Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks at 14th overall. Thus there is a solid case to be made from this statistic that Tyrese could be the best point guard in the eastern conference.
However, win shares can be a bit of a flawed metric given it is dependent on several factors. Let’s take a look at a few other key metrics that prove that Tyrese Haliburton is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference.
He is the 3rd in Offensive Box Plus/Minus, behind Steph Currey and Luka Doncic, and top in the eastern conference.
Again, we have an advanced statistic that certainly has its flaws, as it can depend on several factors around the rotation and quality of the opponent.
That being said, when looking at the league as a whole, not only is the Indiana Pacers playmaker the third-highest point guard in offensive plus/minus, but he’s also third in the entire league. Again only behind Steph Curry (1st) and Luka Doncic (2nd). The next closest point guard from the eastern conference is Ja Morant at 8th.
While this metric again doesn’t, by itself, prove that Haliburton is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference, when you put it beside many of other metrics it starts to paint a clearer picture.
Now again, this metric doesn’t do anything to help promote his defense, which could arguably use some more work. But what it does show is that when he is on the floor, the offensive is significantly better than when he isn’t. Given his point and assist totals on the season, this already is obvious to most.
But what gives a point guard an edge against his peers? The rebounds? The points?
The Indiana Pacers point guard leads the entire league in assists, both total and per game.
At the end of the day, point guards are most valuable when they are running the offense, creating opportunities for others, and taking matters into their own hands when necessary. And this metric does a lot to show that Tyrese is doing exactly that.
Currently, Tyrese leads the entire league in assists per game, as well as total assists on the season. He is currently averaging 10.7 assists per game. The next closest in the league is Trae Young at 9.5 per game, so Tyrese is leading that statistic by a wide margin.
Tyrese is showing not only the ability to score and create but also his pairings with both Jackson and Turner have yielded great results in the pick-and-roll game. He has shown leadership potential in the locker room and on the court. He has shown that he can carry the star label as well as give back to the greater Indianapolis community. He is certainly number one in leading the NBA in holding up the hopes of a small-market franchise.
While none of these metrics alone prove that Tyrese Haliburton is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference, together, they paint an undeniable picture. The best part? He plays for the Indiana Pacers.