Indiana Pacers and Team USA star Tyrese Haliburton, has now emerged as one of the NBA's elite point guards, draws his greatness from a deep internal drive, much like other top athletes. But during the NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks, he notably tapped into his inner Michael Jordan.
In a GQ feature story, Haliburton revealed that he drew inspiration from Michael Jordan and Tom Brady to secure the biggest win of his young NBA career against the Pacers’ bitter rivals the New York Knicks.
Tyrese Haliburton channeling his inner Michael Jordan
“So, Game 7 came around, and I'm like, I gotta come up with something to get me going. Like I heard Tom Brady say that one time, like he would look for things to get him going, and Michael Jordan said the same thing—like, sometimes he would make things up,” said Haliburton.
“So there's a dude courtside, he's chirping to me in warmups … and then he was really talking crazy. And I wasn't going to say anything, I'm like, I'm gonna let this go. I'm gonna get him later,” continued the level-headed Pacers guard.
“And then [Pacers teammate and karate black-belt] James Johnson walked over. And James obviously is the muscle of the NBA. And when James walked over, the dude got quiet. So I just went over there. I was like, ‘Why are you quiet now? Like, are you scared of him?' And then that's kind of what got us going.”
Tyrese Haliburton then guided the Pacers to a 130-109 demolition of the Knicks, with everything falling perfectly into place. The Pacers boasted the NBA's second-ranked offense during the regular season and led the playoffs as the number one offense.
Leading the Indiana Pacers over the New York Knicks
Haliburton's mindset proved infectious as the Pacers scored on their first four possessions and racked up 23 points on their first 11 trips down the floor.
Even after the Knicks managed a few stops, the Pacers quickly reignited, scoring 16 points on their next six possessions. The Pacers were in the zone, pouring in 39 points on 19 possessions and hitting 7 of their 9 three-point attempts.
Haliburton missed his first two shots, including an easy put-back but once he found his rhythm, he really took off.
Tyrese Haliburton continued his surge, sinking shot after shot to keep Indiana in control as the Pacers' offense thrived. With Indiana up by 12 and Haliburton at 11 points with 2:03 remaining in the quarter, he maintained his intensity, even engaging with a fan in the front row while knocking down more threes.
The Pacers excelled offensively in the first quarter, ending it with a 39-26 lead. At that point, Indiana had hit 16 of 21 shots, with Haliburton (14 points) and Siakam (11) already scoring in double figures.
Fueled by his confidence, the Pacers' offense remained relentless, shooting 53-for-79 (67.1%)—the highest shooting percentage ever recorded in a playoff game. Haliburton finished Game 7 with a game-high 26 points and six assists.
Higher hopes for Haliburton and the Pacers
Last season with Indiana, Haliburton averaged 20.1 points and 10.9 assists on 47.7% shooting, helping the Pacers get to the Eastern Conference finals. His stellar performance also earned him his first career All-NBA Third Team selection.
Haliburton and the Pacers are gearing up for another push to the Eastern Conference finals and beyond next season. Before that, though, Haliburton will represent Team USA at the Paris Olympics, where the Americans will seek to clinch a gold medal.
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