Former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague believes he knows exactly how to stop Tyrees Halliburton, and he also told the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The last few months of point guard were amazing. He led the Indiana Pacers to the finals after being selected as the NBA’s most overrated player.
Unfortunately, Halliburton suffered a calf injury in the Pacers’ Game 5 loss, but it is unclear whether he will play again this season.
But even when he’s at his best with 25 points and 10 assists, Teague believes he can stop with one simple strategy.
Teague describes himself as a “basketball nerd,” and is sure he realized something important while studying the Halliburton game.
The former Atlanta Hawk explained that Halliburton’s offensive game is very predictable as he wants to go right.
“I’m a basketball nerd, so I want to teach you something about the game,” he said on the podcast. “For a long time I have said that Tyrese Halliburton wouldn’t leave.
“I said that to the Cleveland Cavaliers. I called the Cavs and said, ‘Don’t you realize he’ll never leave?’
“A lot of people sent me this today. “Teague, I’ve been saying this since Series 1 and Series 2.”
“If you look at his shot attempts in these finals, he will never go to the left of the court, and you will never see a left-handed layup.
“It’s amazing that every analyst studying the game has yet to realize that all you have to do is leave him.”
Teague added more context to his conversation with the Cavaliers coach in the Eastern Conference semi-finals and told him how easy it would be to stop Halliburton.
“I’m not going to lie. I called one of the Cavs coaches and said, “Look, this is how you can beat them.”
“Then I saw them switch all the pick-and-rolls and let him get to his right.
Halliburton averaged 17 points, five rebounds and seven assists on 54% shooting from the field, earning 3-46% as the Pacers defeated the Cavaliers in five games. Perhaps they should have listened to Teague’s advice.
Teague then compared Halliburton to Chris Paul. Of course, there’s no shame in playing like a 12 All-Star, but both share the same weaknesses.
According to Teague, poles struggle to score or pass with their left hand, making it easier to defend if they’re ready.
“I’m not saying he’s not good, but I said I studied him and Chris Paul. He and Chris Paul are very similar,” Teague explained. “So when I was watching the Cleveland series, I was like, ‘We need to play him like we did Chris Paul.’
“I did all the film studies when Chris Paul made it to the finals. I know he never films left-handed layups. He just goes left and shoots.
“He never shoots left. Everything he does is a fade on the right in the midrange. He never goes to the basket with his left hand.
“I was like, ‘Man, he has the same similarities as Chris Paul.’ “They go downhill and can do that skip pass and so on, so they go through better.