Against the odds. Against the turnovers (24 for Indiana). Against the sensations. Tyrese Haliburton is already history in the playoffs. His ‘Reggie Miller-style’ celebration (grabbing his neck) was not just an imitation.
The Oshkosh native has equaled the Pacers legend with a record figure… and on his own turf. “Basketball is fun. Winning is fun,” the 25-year-old said after the game.
A moment in history
After today’s basket, with 0.3 seconds left in the game, Haliburton equaled Reggie Miller in his ‘clutch’ facet, which was very characteristic of the former player. In this way, Haliburton catches up with Miller as the second player with the most baskets to tie or win in the last five seconds of a playoff game since 1997, with five.He is only surpassed by LeBron James, with eight.
Basketball is fun. Winning is fun
This statistic began to be analyzed from this year. It is even more remarkable when we consider that the Wisconsin native is only 25 years old and has only played in the playoffs twice in his entire career (this year and last year). Although his performance was not outstanding (14 points), even more so considering the performance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (38 points);the Pacers player has become the hero of a postseason that, for the moment, bears his name.
Equals Magic Johnson
Not only was this performance a feat, but his path to this point is one for the record books. So much so that he has equalled Magic Johnson as the only player to make more than 150 assists and less than 50 turnovers on the way to the Finals. This statistic began to be recorded in 1978 and the legendary Lakers player achieved this milestone in 1984.
Will it end in a ring?
That season, the point guard fell in the Finals to Larry Bird’s Celtics in seven games, losing the final game in Boston 111-102. Tyrese Haliburton, the revelation of these playoffs, will look to complete this feat with a ring on his finger.
Comeback king
The Wisconsin native has become the most decisive player in the league, with epic comebacks being his trademark in these playoffs. In every round he has done his thing. On April 29, he was trailing the Bucks by seven points (118-111) with 34.6 seconds left. He scored with 1.4 seconds remaining to beat Milwaukee by one point.
More of the same against the Cavs. They were also down by seven in the last minute and he scored the basket to turn the game around with 1.1 seconds to go. His last victim, before the Thunder, was New York. Nine down in the last minute, he sent the game into overtime with a suspension that went in when time had already expired.
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