The Indiana Pacers have been the most exciting team in the NBA playoffs so far.
The Oklahoma City Thunder is a stifling force that closes enemies with defensive efficiency, while the Indiana Pacers are electric attack dynamos.
This was Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks, fully on display with the team’s 138-135 victory.
Tyreese Halliburton showed how fearless he is with the clutch, making game-tying efforts to silence Madison Square Garden and force overtime.
Tyrees Halliburton and the Indiana Pacers rely more on team strength than his star power after being amortized as the “most overrated” players in basketball.
Halliburton began raiding those jibes on his detractors.
Speaking about FS1, analyst Ric Bucher praised the way the Pacers played, saying they likened them to an earlier version of Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets.
Bucher also cites Jokic’s selflessness, comparing it to Pacers Star Haliburton.
He said: “They didn’t quit, that’s impressive. They lost 14 in under three minutes, they didn’t stop.
“If you’re down 14 points and the clock isn’t liked by you, you automatically, just human nature begins, you’re just okay, you’ll move to Saturday now.
“But at least the other team that had that vibe in the past is the Denver Nuggets. And do you know why?
“Haliburton attacks me as a young Nicola Jokic, a guy who can hit big shots as an early Nicola Jokic, but I don’t feel that’s his first choice.
“He’s trying to get people involved. He’s trying to keep things going. I think that’s the secret.”
Tyreese Halliburton started the playoffs by averaging double-doubles on points and assists.
In the second postseason of his career, Halliburton averages 18.7 points and 9.5 assists per game.
Bucher added: “Aaron Nesmith knows if he’s open or not. He’s going to get the ball. Ty has no problem retreating and letting someone else shine.
“Whether it’s Nenbird, Nesmith or Siakam, and if you need to hit a shot at the same time, he’s willing to back it down and hit it.”
Halliburton put it on himself to save the game against the Knicks in the remaining seconds and if his feet avoided the line, the two to win his game would have been three wins in an even more memorable game.