Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton: Product We’re Putting On Floor Right Now Is Embarrassing

One year ago, the Indiana Pacers were riding high, making waves in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament and proving they were a team to be taken seriously. Fast forward to now, and that same team looks like a shell of its former self.

After a winless run in this year’s NBA Cup group play, capped by an embarrassing blowout loss to the lowly Toronto Raptors, questions abound in Indiana.

And nobody is questioning things more than Tyrese Haliburton, the team’s All-Star centerpiece.

“The product we’re putting on the floor right now as a group is embarrassing,” Haliburton said, via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Every team is playing hard right now… there’s no reason we shouldn’t be matching that and beyond.”

Haliburton’s frustration is palpable — and warranted. After a stellar 2023-24 campaign where he earned All-NBA honors and led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals, he’s off to a rough start this season.

His shooting percentages (41.6% FG, 34.0% 3PT) are career lows, and his scoring and assists are both down. It’s not all on him, but when the leader struggles, the team often follows.

And follow they have — right into mediocrity. At 9-13, the Pacers look lost. Tuesday’s loss in Toronto marked their third straight defeat, and they’ve been out of sync on both ends of the floor.

Haliburton didn’t mince words, calling for a “reality check” and a collective gut check. “Guys need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask what they can do better. That starts with me,” he said. “I have to be a better leader. I’ve got to do everything better and harder because I’m not ready to piss away a year of my career or this team’s season.”

Injuries Are Real, but Not an Excuse

The Pacers aren’t exactly at full strength. Andrew Nembhard missed most of November, Aaron Nesmith has been sidelined for over a month, and the backup center duo of Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman is out for the season. But Haliburton isn’t letting that slide as a valid excuse.

“You can’t control injuries, but you can control how hard you’re going to play,” Haliburton emphasized. “Energy, spirit — those are controllable things.”

He’s right. This isn’t about X’s and O’s; it’s about effort. Good teams find a way to stay competitive even when shorthanded.

Time to Right the Ship

Indiana doesn’t have time to sulk. They’re back on the floor Wednesday night in Brooklyn against a Nets team facing its own struggles. A win there could stop the bleeding and inject some much-needed life into a Pacers squad that still has plenty of potential.

But if Haliburton’s words are any indication, it’s going to take more than one win to get this group back on track. It’s going to take pride, effort, and urgency — all things this team seems to have misplaced since its thrilling run last season.

As Haliburton put it: “Everybody can keep saying, ‘Oh, it’s four games, we’ll be back to .500.’ It ain’t that easy.”

No, it’s not. And it starts with Haliburton leading the way out of this funk — both with his words and his play.

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