Tyrese Haliburton was thought-about a fringe top-15 participant within the NBA coming 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 capturing. 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 likewise 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 harm on Jan. 8 towards the Boston Celtics. Ever since, the guard’s manufacturing has taken an enormous hit, and he’s nonetheless looking for solutions on how one can 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 general 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 partially drained the Pacers of their id. 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 mistaken this yr after the Bucks loss. He gave the impression of 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 harm on Jan. 8, however solely 32.3 p.c from three after the harm.
By 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 harm final yr, returning shortly partially so he may 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 far worse on the highway than it’s at dwelling. It certain looks like there’s an harm right here that’s particularly exhausting to take care of away from his personal mattress. He simply doesn’t appear like 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 damage Haliburton, and likewise prompt 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 harm generally is a fragile factor. Your physique can overcompensate somewhere else and result in new accidents. That’s one of the best wager for what’s occurred at Haliburton to this point. At 24 years outdated, he needs to be at his absolute bodily peak. As a substitute, it seems like his physique is breaking down years earlier than he needs to be coming into his prime.
The Pacers reached the Japanese Convention Finals final season, with Haliburton placing collectively an incredible second spherical collection towards the New York Knicks. The expectations had been at all times going to be greater this yr with a full season of Siakam, however to this point Indiana is badly struggling to stay as much as it. In the meanwhile, the Pacers appear like a play-in crew, and even that’s solely as a result of they play within the pitiful Japanese Convention.
Haliburton is among 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.
