Tony East here, the host of the daily Locked On Pacers podcast, with your daily Locked On Pacers newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Pacers and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
A deep dive into Tyrese Haliburton’s struggles for Indiana Pacers
Nov 20, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) dunks the ball as Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images|Troy Taormina - Imagn Images
Tyrese Haliburton’s Struggles: A Deep Dive into the Pacers’ Star’s Performance
The Indiana Pacers recent loss to the Houston Rockets highlighted a pressing issue: Tyrese Haliburton’s performance. As a key player, Haliburton’s struggles have become a focal point for the team and fans alike. His outing against the Rockets was a stark reminder of his current slump, finishing with just four points and eight assists, and a concerning minus 28 on the court. This isn’t just a one-off; it’s part of a worrying trend.
Analyzing Haliburton’s Performance
Haliburton’s shooting stats this season are unprecedented in a negative way. He’s attempting nearly 14 shots per game but hitting only 37.5% from the field and a mere 28.4% from beyond the arc. No player in NBA history has shot this poorly with such volume. This inefficiency is a significant hurdle for the Pacers, especially given Haliburton’s role as a primary ball handler.
Despite his passing ability remaining strong with 8.5 assists per game, the overall impact of Haliburton is diminished by his shooting woes. The potential assists are down, partly due to teammates not converting shots, but also because Haliburton isn’t creating the same opportunities as before. His inability to get past defenders and a lack of confidence in his shot are evident.
Possible Reasons Behind the Slump
Several theories have emerged regarding Haliburton’s decline. Some suggest fame and off-court distractions, like his increased media presence, might be affecting his game. However, from personal observations, Haliburton seems unchanged in demeanor and work ethic. Others point to his contract situation, but this doesn’t hold much weight since he signed a lucrative deal before last season and still performed at an All-NBA level.
A more plausible explanation could be injuries. Haliburton has been dealing with a back issue, and although he hasn’t been listed on injury reports, his on-court movements suggest he’s not at full strength. This could explain the drop in his performance, as injuries often impact a player’s ability to execute at their best.
The Pacers need Haliburton to return to form. His previous seasons showed a player capable of leading the team with efficiency and skill. The current slump is a stark contrast, and whether it’s due to physical issues or other factors, it’s clear that improvement is necessary for the Pacers to succeed.
For more insights and a deeper dive into Tyrese Haliburton’s performance and the Indiana Pacers challenges, tune into the Locked On Pacers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Pacers Podcast:
- Analysis of the Pacers loss to the Houston Rockets
- Discussion on the impact of turnovers and possession issues
- Insights into the performance of Pascal Siakam and Quenton Jackson
- Examination of the Pacers bench contributions and player rotations
A refrain I’ve increasingly heard from casuals, like the talking heads on the NBA’s biggest broadcast partners, is that the league is too homogenous these days, that every team just goes out there and chucks up threes. Every game is the same.
Leaving aside the shortsightedness of famous, influential media analysts dumping on their own product, it’s a common enough complaint that I felt an urge to investigate. My eyeballs tell me the league’s never been more diverse and fun, thanks largely to the absurd wealth of stars today with skill sets as bespoke as their draft night suits. Jokic’s Nuggets look nothing like Tatum’s Celtics look nothing like Brunson’s Knicks, and to suggest otherwise is willful ignorance.
As I wrote about for Basketball Poetry yesterday, the current top five offenses are Boston, Cleveland, New York, the Lakers, and Dallas. Those five teams rank first, 14th, 17th, 24th, and 21st, respectively, in share of shots that are triples. You certainly don’t need to launch a million threes relative to your peers to score the basketball successfully.
Of course, that’s a rather superficial analysis. Regardless of rank, what if the absolute numbers are all getting closer together? That would represent a growing sameness.
I looked at shot data from this season, a decade ago, and 20 years ago to see how much the share of three-pointers had changed.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Stat Owen Phillips of The F5 looks at how often centers defend guards, how often perimeter players are involuntarily guarded by centers (aka the Tony Allen effect), and much more in his analytical newsletter.
Analysis Jared Dubin of Last Night, In Basketball discusses something related: what kind of players are guarding point guards these days?
Must Read Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic talks about the NBA’s increasing difficulty for defensive-minded, older players, but the real story is that Draymond Green claims to have started lifting just four years ago.
Rumor The Pacers have emerged as one of the favorites to land Joel Embiid in a blockbuster trade. (Sports Illustrated)
The Randomness Of Fantasy Basketball On A Wednesday In The NBA
Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (0) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images|Petre Thomas/Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Top Five Fantasy Takeaways from Wednesday’s Games
1. Paul George’s Knee Injury Concerns
Paul George’s knee hyperextension during the 76ers vs. Grizzlies game is a significant concern for fantasy managers. While initial reports suggest no structural damage, his availability in the coming games is uncertain. This situation could open up opportunities for other players on the 76ers to step up, making it crucial to monitor updates closely.
2. Unpredictable Pelicans vs. Cavaliers Game
The Pelicans vs. Cavaliers matchup was a bizarre affair, with unexpected lineups and performances. Elfrid Payton started for the Pelicans, and Jaylon Tyson shone for the Cavs, but these anomalies are unlikely to have long-term fantasy implications. Managers should view this game as an outlier and avoid making hasty roster changes based on these performances.
3. Pacers’ Struggles and Tyrese Haliburton’s Slump
The Pacers are facing challenges, particularly with Tyrese Haliburton’s shooting woes. His road performance has been notably poor, possibly due to lingering back issues. Despite this, Haliburton’s track record suggests a turnaround is likely, making him a prime buy-low candidate for managers willing to take a risk on his recovery.
Click the button below to see how Norman Powell’s injury could open up opportunities for the Clippers, and a top 50 player returns to action.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Pacers podcasts. What is wrong with Tyrese Haliburton? Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t been himself this season, and his volume of shots combined with his inaccuracy is unheard of. What is going on? And why did the Pacers lose to the Houston Rockets?
Moses Brown needs to finish and defend pick-and-rolls The Indiana Pacers will add Moses Brown in free agency. What can their new center bring to the team? What does his career suggest he can and can’t do? Plus, a conversation about the Indiana Mad Ants and Houston Rockets.
Shorthanded Pacers come up short in Toronto + Moses Brown signing coming Indiana was missing five rotation players when they entered Toronto to battle the Raptors on Monday, and they played like it. New lineups, poor defense, and plenty more led to another loss for the now 6-8 Pacers, who plan to sign center Moses Brown.
