Tyrese Haliburton continues establishing himself as one of the best offensive players in basketball. Coming off a breakout 2022-23 campaign in which he made his first All-Star appearance and received All-NBA consideration, the Indiana Pacers floor general has generated legitimate MVP buzz over the first few weeks of the regular season, leading an offense that ranks as the NBA's best. He is dealing with both an injury and illness, however, entering Saturday's action, sparking one question: Is Tyrese Haliburton playing today against the Miami Heat?
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Tyrese Haliburton out vs. Heat with illness
Haliburton is listed as questionable to play versus the Heat on Indiana's injury report. His official injury and illness designation is a right knee bruise and upper respiratory infection. However, Haliburton is expected to be sidelined in South Beach due to his illness after missing Saturday morning's shootaround, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The fourth-year playmaker put together among the best performances of his career in the first of the Pacers' two-game set with Miami on Thursday. He dropped 44 points, doled out 10 assists and swiped three steals in his team's 142-132 loss, shooting 15-of-28 overall and 6-of-16 from beyond the arc.
Haliburton is averaging 27.0 points and a league-high 11.8 assists per game in 2023-24, shooting personal bests of 59% on twos and 44.7% from beyond the arc on increased volume. His 67.2 true shooting percentage is an elite mark for primary ball handlers and scorers, made all the more impressive by Haliburton also upping his usage and lowering his turnover rate.
The 23-year-old certainly has contributed to Indiana's porous team defense, regularly getting exploited on the ball and serving as a frequent crunch-time target of opposing stars. But Haliburton is no doubt the singular driving force behind the Pacers' 122.5 offensive rating, easily the best number in the NBA.
Will Haliburton play against Miami? Unfortunately, he's out for Indiana.
Follow Us
Subscribe