Pacers Going As Tyrese Haliburton Goes, And Right Now, It’s All Too Iffy

Tyrese Haliburton is a guy you expect to be one of the NBA’s most reliable point guards, but right now, the Pacers star is struggling to find his rhythm.

Through the early portion of the season, Haliburton is shooting just 37.5 percent from the field and an ice-cold 28.4 percent from beyond the arc. Both marks are career lows, and it doesn’t stop there — his free-throw percentage is down to 82 percent, another career worst.

For someone as efficient as Haliburton has been throughout his career, these numbers are a bit of a red flag for a Pacers team trying to stay competitive in the East.

What makes this even more troubling is that Haliburton’s playmaking, while still good, has also taken a hit. His assists are also down, perhaps a byproduct of the team’s overall shooting woes.

Basically, the offense isn’t clicking the way it needs to, and Haliburton’s ability to push the pace and find open shooters is still key to what the Pacers want to do. But without his usual scoring punch, defenses are sagging off, and the entire offense is feeling the strain.

The Pacers do have depth, and there are nights when someone else can carry the load. But for this team to be truly good — playoff good — Haliburton needs to get back to playing at an All-Star level. His leadership and decision-making are as important as ever, but those have always worked best when paired with his elite efficiency.

For now, it’s too early to hit the panic button, but this is not the start Indiana envisioned for its franchise cornerstone. If Haliburton can’t turn it around soon, the Pacers could be facing a tougher climb in the East than anyone expected.

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