With just a couple of weeks until the start of the playoffs, the Indiana Pacers will soon shift their focus to the bright lights. The Pacers have clinched their second consecutive playoff spot and are looking to go on another deep playoff run after making their first conference finals appearance in a decade last year. As the Pacers look to put together another successful postseason campaign, they will rely heavily on their top players, especially point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Now in his third full season in Indiana, Haliburton is establishing himself as one of the best young point guards in the league and is continuing to break records with the Pacers. Furthermore, he is the heartbeat of the Pacers' electric offense and is crucial to the team's success.
Last season, Haliburton's campaign was cut short when he was forced to miss the last two games of the conference finals due to a hamstring injury. Since then, he has dealt with numerous leg and back injuries, including in the Olympics and earlier this season. Haliburton missed six games in March, leading to some wondering if this would be a problem heading into the playoffs. However, Pacers Assistant GM Ted Wu recently provided some clarity as the end of the regular season approaches.
Ted Wu sends crystal clear Tyrese Haliburton message
In a recent appearance on Setting the Pace: A Pacers Podcast (YouTube link), Wu spoke about Haliburton and his current status. According to Wu, Haliburton is healthy, and he says that "is something that a lot of teams across the league should fear."
"[Haliburton]'s gotten through some of these minor nagging injuries, and a healthy Tyrese going into the playoffs is something that a lot of teams across the league should fear," Wu said.
Since the All-Star break, the Wisconsin native is averaging 21.3 points, 11.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 steals across 17 games. Additionally, he is shooting 54.4% from the field and 46.4% from the three-point line since the All-Star break. Haliburton is also contributing to team success as the Pacers are 47-27 when he is on the court this season and 3-4 without him.
When healthy, Haliburton is one of the best point guards in the league, and he helps elevate the Pacers, especially on offense. Fortunately for the Pacers, it seems that Haliburton is healthy and will be fully ready as the Pacers look to make another deep playoff run this year. The Pacers are already a dangerous threat in the playoffs, but having Haliburton at his best will make them even better.