Tyrese Haliburton's shooting struggles have surrounded the talk around the Indiana Pacers. You can't talk about one without talking about the other at this point. That happens when your best player shoots 17% from three in the month of March, a month that is supposed to get you ready for the playoffs.
That's exactly what Haliburton is shooting. The numbers are bad and there's really no way to gloss over them. Haliburton is shooting under 40% from the field and is shooting less than three free throws a game. Those are not the kind of numbers you expect to see from him.
Haliburton's ineffectiveness with his outside shot is starting to stifle the overall effectiveness of the Pacers' offense. They get bogged down in the half-court more easily, especially when the starting unit is out there. The bench unit has kept the team in games. And yet, it's not all bad for Indiana during this stretch.
Positives the Pacers can take from Haliburton's slump
Despite those awful numbers from Haliburton, some positives have emerged around the rest of the team. Pascal Siakam has emerged as the team's best player in Haliburton's stead. His scoring and rebounding have jumped in the last month to 20 points and 9 rebounds respectively,
Indiana's defense has also gotten much better. In the month of March, they have allowed eight fewer points than their season average, which is significant. While their defense isn't elite, it's getting at least average, which is big for a team that is third-to-last in points per game allowed.
If those two things can sustain and Haliburton gets his shot back, this team becomes instantly dangerous again. In order to win a series or two, Haliburton has to be at his best. He has another month to get himself fixed before a playoff or play-in game takes place.
Obviously, Indiana Pacers fans would like him to fix his slump sooner than that. He's frustrated. Fans are frustrated. I'm sure the rest of the team is frustrated. But in the midst of all of the frustration, there are some positive things to hold onto.