With the Indiana Pacers punching their ticket to the 2025 NBA Finals after dispatching the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, point guard Tyrese Haliburton is stepping firmly into the national spotlight.
While many have admired his playmaking and leadership throughout Indiana’s remarkable postseason run, Draymond Green is putting focus on something often overlooked – Haliburton’s handle.
On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, the Golden State Warriors veteran broke down what makes Haliburton so deceptive with the ball, calling his handle “underrated and sneaky.”
Green noted that opposing defenders tend to give Haliburton space, not because of concerns about his unconventional jump shot, but because applying pressure often leads to disaster.
“It’s like they give him so much space,” Green said. “His shot takes a little time to load it up anyway… The reason they don’t pressure him like that, though, is Hali’s handle is very underrated and sneaky… I think all of those guys also know that if they try to pressure him, he’ll bop they a so fast.”**
For Haliburton, who averaged 20.8 points and 10.9 assists per game during the regular season, ball control has always been a foundational part of his game. But according to Green, it’s not just effective – it’s elite.
Haliburton’s craft earns rare comparisons from Green
In a particularly revealing moment during the podcast, Green drew a striking comparison between Haliburton and two of the NBA’s most revered dribblers: Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving.
He described a specific trait that only the best ball-handlers share – the ability to make defenders think they’ve lost control, only to leave them off-balance with a sudden burst of precision.
“Follow me here. Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving, their ball handling starts when it appeared to you that they lost the basketball,” Green said.
“Because you think they lost it, and they’ve got it so crazy on the yo-yo where as soon as you go to reach, you’re so out of position that there’s no way you can catch up. Hali’s got some of that.”
That kind of praise is rare, particularly coming from a defensive-minded player like Green, who has spent much of his career battling some of the league’s toughest guards.
For Haliburton, it’s another sign that his game is resonating far beyond Indiana – especially as he leads the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.
The Pacers now face the Oklahoma City Thunder in what’s being hailed as a battle between two young stars in Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
While Oklahoma City’s depth may give them an edge, Indiana’s momentum and Haliburton’s cerebral approach could make this Finals far more competitive than expected.
Throughout the postseason, Haliburton has dazzled with his court vision, smart decision-making, and fearless shot-making. But now, with Draymond Green shining a light on his elite handle, one of his more subtle skills is finally getting its due.
Whether or not Haliburton leads Indiana to its first championship remains to be seen, but his ascent as a superstar – and as a player worthy of comparisons to Curry and Kyrie – is already a defining story of these playoffs.
Read the full article here
