Tyrese Haliburton was thought-about a fringe top-15 participant within the NBA getting into his fifth professional season this yr. The purpose guard was one of many breakout stars of final season by main the Indiana Pacers’ tremendous quick, tremendous environment friendly offense with a spectacular mix of playmaking and lengthy distance taking pictures. Haliburton was so good that Indiana locked him as much as a $244 million contract extension, traded a number of future first-round picks to get him a co-star in Pascal Siakam, and in addition noticed him earn a spot on USA Basketball’s 2024 Paris Olympics roster.
Haliburton’s breakout marketing campaign final yr hit a snag when he suffered a hamstring damage on Jan. 8 towards the Boston Celtics. Ever since, the guard’s manufacturing has taken a large hit, and he’s nonetheless looking for solutions on the right way to get proper.
The Pacers fell to 6-10 on the younger season on Friday evening with one other loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. An Indiana offense that completed No. 2 total in effectivity final season whereas taking part in on the league’s second-fastest tempo now ranks No. 16 in effectivity and No. 10 in tempo. Haliburton’s diminished play has partly drained the Pacers of their identification. This isn’t the identical high-octane offense in really feel or execution that it was final yr.
Haliburton spoke with reporters on Friday about what’s gone incorrect this yr after the Bucks loss. He seemed like a damaged man who can’t clarify why he’s struggling a lot this season.
Final yr, Haliburton was averaging 20.1 factors and 10.9 assists per sport. He shot 40.3 p.c from three on 8.1 makes an attempt per sport earlier than the damage on Jan. 8, however solely 32.3 p.c from three after the damage.
By way of 16 video games this season, Haliburton is averaging 15.5 factors and eight.5 assists per sport. His three-point shot is worse than ever, at 29.4 p.c from deep on nearly eight makes an attempt per sport.
Haliburton solely missed a pair weeks with the damage final yr, returning rapidly partly so he might qualify for a super-max contract extension by way of All-NBA standing. He simply hasn’t seemed wholesome since. Important Pacers blogger Caitlin Cooper has identified that Haliburton’s manufacturing is way worse on the street than it’s at dwelling. It positive looks as if there’s an damage right here that’s particularly onerous to cope with away from his personal mattress. He simply doesn’t appear to be the identical quick-hitting offensive supernova anymore.
Head coach Rick Carlisle has posited that the officers permitting extra physicality after the All-Star break has harm Haliburton, and in addition instructed that buying and selling for Siakam slowed down their run-and-gun offense to an extent that took away what made Haliburton particular.
A hamstring damage generally is a fragile factor. Your physique can overcompensate elsewhere and result in new accidents. That’s the most effective wager for what’s occurred at Haliburton to this point. At 24 years previous, he needs to be at his absolute bodily peak. As an alternative, it appears like his physique is breaking down years earlier than he needs to be getting into his prime.
The Pacers reached the Jap Convention Finals final season, with Haliburton placing collectively an incredible second spherical sequence towards the New York Knicks. The expectations had been at all times going to be larger this yr with a full season of Siakam, however to this point Indiana is badly struggling to reside as much as it. In the intervening time, the Pacers appear to be a play-in crew, and even that’s solely as a result of they play within the pitiful Jap Convention.
Haliburton is without doubt one of the most entertaining gamers within the league when he’s proper. Even he doesn’t appear to know when that’s going to occur once more.
