Underrated Tyrese Haliburton trait makes Pacers' long-term playoff success inevitable

Tyrese Haliburton is turning into one of the most clutch players in the NBA, and his current playoff run only confirms that. This season, the Indiana Pacers guard is 10-for-11 on shots to tie the game or take the lead in the final 1:30 minutes. His 90.9 FG% in this situation is by far the best in the league, and only Nikola Jokic has more made field goals.

As the leader and engine of Indiana's high-powered offense, Haliburton is crucial to the team's success. One of the Pacers' biggest problems last year, especially in their conference finals matchup against the Boston Celtics, was that they were a terrible team in clutch situations. However, one of the Pacers' biggest weaknesses has become a major strength, and that is exactly why they should be in title contention for years to come.

Tyrese Haliburton has come up big in the 2025 Playoffs

Haliburton has had many big moments during Indiana's playoff run up to this point. However, none of those moments were as notable as his game-winning three-pointer against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2. In the fourth quarter of that game, Haliburton scored 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting. He was the only player from the Pacers to record double-digit points in the fourth quarter, and only Donovan Mitchell (12 points) had more points than he did in that span.

A lot has been said about Haliburton's importance to the Pacers' success, and it is absolutely true. He is the ideal point guard in the team's system and is one of the best passers and facilitators in the game today. Additionally, while he is no All-Defensive Team candidate, Haliburton's defense has improved drastically over the past few seasons. The Wisconsin native is slowly turning into the complete package, and that bodes well for his and the Pacers' long-term success.

What makes Haliburton's current season even more impressive is that this is just the second playoff run in his career. And last year, which was his first playoff appearance, Haliburton led the Pacers to the conference finals. The Pacers are destined for great things, and now that they are becoming an elite team in the clutch, they are becoming even more dangerous in the Eastern Conference.

As it stands, the Pacers are just two wins away from their second consecutive conference finals appearance. While this is a big goal, one that the Pacers should be proud of, they have already made it clear that they are aiming to win it all. It is way too early to write them into the NBA Finals, but if Haliburton keeps showing up when the lights are at their brightest, it will be difficult for any team to knock the Pacers out in the playoffs.