E-Paper
Tyrese Haliburton hits back at fans for criticising his playing style: 'It's a lot of boxscore watchers'
Tyrese Haliburton faced criticism after the game for his unconventional winning shot, with many fans labelling his style unorthodox — a narrative he fired back.
Indian Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has clapped back at the critics for taking digs at his playing style. Haliburton helped the Pacers stage a sensational comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder in one of the NBA Finals. Pacers registered a sensational 111-110 win in the final seconds to stun the NBA world. Haliburton produced a magical moment with a dramatic 21-foot jumper that sealed the win, capping off Indiana’s comeback from a 15-point deficit with just 9:42 left on the clock.
Haliburton's game-winning shot with just 0.3 seconds on the clock added yet another chapter to his growing list of clutch moments in this postseason. With the supreme performance by Haliburton, the Pacers seized a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Also Read | LeBron James snubbed in Shaquille O'Neal's all-time NBA starting five: 'Don't know how he's going to edit it'
The 25-year-old faced criticism after the game for his unconventional winning shot, with many fans labelling his style unorthodox — a narrative he fired back at during the post-match press conference.
"It's unorthodox," Haliburton said on Saturday. "My jumper, the way it looks. It 's always been criticized coming into the NBA. I think that I was honestly a big part of it and sometimes I have an effect on the game that isn't necessarily the godly box score numbers. The way the game is digested by the fans sometimes. I think it's a lot of boxscore watchers."
Traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2022, the move became a turning point for both Haliburton's career and the franchise. Since joining, the 25-year-old has earned multiple All-Star nods and guided the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance in a quarter of a century.
Ahead of game 2, Haliburton talked about his and the team's approach.
"You just try to be as present as you can," Haliburton said. "You are trying to take it one day at a time and that's how we have approached every playoff series that we have been in as a group."
