The Indiana Pacers are set up for success. Based on what Jalen Brunson just accomplished with the New York Knicks, that much is obvious: They have Tyrese Haliburton, an elite-shot-maker. However, they need to hope that Haliburton can stay on the Brunson side of things instead of the De’Aaron Fox side of things.
In this year’s NBA Finals, we saw two very different occurrences. On one side of the coin, Brunson. An elite shot-maker who, bucket after bucket, led his team to a championship. On the other, Fox. A star point guard who can usually make shots at a high level, but crumbled under the pressure (and due to some lingering injuries).
Indiana needs Haliburton to stay on the Brunson side of the coin.
Pacers need Tyrese Haliburton to make shots like Jalen Brunson, not like De'Aaron Fox
When the Pacers made their run to the 2025 NBA Finals, it was on the back of some elite, clutch shot-making from Haliburton. He was the Pacers’ unquestioned leader throughout those playoffs.
Even in the Finals, Haliburton stayed hot. He made tough shots, leading Indiana’s offense until a brutal Achilles injury took him out at the start of Game 7.
And in Game 7, before Haliburton got hurt, he was on fire. He was on pace to go down swinging against the Thunder, making a ton of shots and putting a ton of pressure on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That’s what Brunson was able to do during the 2026 NBA Playoffs. His shot-making led the Knicks. He was incredible. And when it came time to close things out, Brunson delivered.
Brunson churned out 45 points in Game 5, and the rest of the Knicks only scored 47. New York took down the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5, winning the title.
Meanwhile, Fox struggled. Yes, he was dealing with injury concerns, but he was on the court. And when he was on the court, he wasn’t giving the Spurs enough on offense.
In that same Game 5, Fox shot just 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-8 from behind the three-point line. It put the Spurs in a brutal position, and they ultimately fell short.
That just goes to show you that in the playoffs, it’s about who makes the shots and who misses the shots. Brunson made shots. Fox missed the shots.
And as the Pacers try to bounce back, they better hope that Haliburton continues to stay on the Brunson side of that equation. Because if he doesn’t, they’ll be in a rough spot.
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