2 Duds, 1 stud from Indiana Pacers brutal loss to Boston Celtics
By Jack Simone
Dud - Tyrese Haliburton
So far this year, Tyrese Haliburton has been one of the most impressive players in the NBA. He’s a sure-fire lock for an All-Star spot and has been one of the main reasons the Indiana Pacers have been winning on a night-to-night basis.
However, against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, Haliburton wasn’t very effective on either end of the court, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Haliburton ended the night with 17 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and five steals while shooting 5-of-17 from the floor and 2-of-9 from beyond the three-point line.
Boston did a great job slowing Haliburton down on offense, and they even managed to shut down his 11-game streak of putting up at least 10 assists.
That said, while Haliburton wasn’t as effective as he normally is on the offensive end, the real reason he finds himself as a stud in this game is because of his struggles on defense.
Jaylen Brown went at Haliburton on offensive all night long, getting into the paint at will by going straight through his chest. Haliburton wasn’t able to slow him down, and Brown was a huge source of Boston’s offensive success.
Haliburton’s struggles on the defensive end are something to note heading into the Pacers’ potential postseason run. Indiana needs to work on their defensive scheme in an attempt to help him on that side of the ball.