"Haliburton threw in some sleepy, stinky performances during that ecstatic streak, but made it obvious he was most responsible for the Pacers' unfailing heart. The degree to which Haliburton powered the team's engine, too, is becoming clear. At their best, the Pacers raced back and forth with such speed that opposing teams always tired first, leaving them vulnerable to that last-minute comeback. Without Haliburton, the Pacers have found themselves skewered on the pointy end of close games they won consistently last season."
"The Oklahoma City Thunder beat them in double overtime in the season opener. The Minnesota Timberwolves edged them by four. The Dallas Mavericks got them by two. The Detroit Pistons, the best team in the East, won by five. The Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks needed Haliburtonian buzzer-beaters from, respectively, Brandon Ingram and Giannis Antetokounmpo to get their wins. A diabolical loss to the Philadelphia 76ers (Joel Embiid took 18 free throws, almost as many as the entire Pacers team) wasn't as close-10 points-"
Tyrese Haliburton is sidelined for the season after his Achilles injury in Game 7 of the Finals, after making deep threes early in that game. A player poll had labeled Haliburton the most overrated player with 13 of 90 votes, but a psychedelic run of playoff game-winners showcased his impact. The Indiana Pacers have fallen to a 6-21 record without him. Haliburton's speed and late-game orchestration powered the team's comeback identity; without him they have repeatedly lost close games. Recent narrow defeats include double overtime losses and buzzer-beater outcomes, and a loss to the 76ers saw Joel Embiid attempt 18 free throws.
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