Kings-Pacers Matchup of the Game: De'Aaron Fox vs. Tyrese Haliburton

Two former teammates square off in a pivotal game for the Sacramento Kings.

Feb 2, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball while Sacramento Kings forward Kessler Edwards (17) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings are struggling, and after two losses to the Los Angeles Lakers, they get a quick turnaround to face the Indiana Pacers.

The timing of this game couldn't be more interesting. With rumors swirling around the Kings and De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton comes to town with the possibility of turning Sacramento's season into a full-blown disaster.

That makes for an effortless choice for the matchup of the game; Fox vs. Haliburton.

Season stats:

• De'Aaron Fox: 26.3 PTS | 5.0 REB | 6.1 AST | 1.7 STL | 0.3 BLK | 48.7 FG% | 33.3 3P%

• Tyrese Haliburton: 18.0 PTS | 3.4 REB | 8.7 AST | 1.3 STL | 0.6 BLK | 42.7 FG% | 35.4 3P%

This matchup is always going to have some extra juice to it, but it's going to be watched under a microscope this afternoon with the surrounding conversations.

Over his last 13 games, Haliburton has seen an uptick in production, averaging 21 points and 8.9 assists on 48.2% shooting from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc.

He doesn't have the scoring explosion capabilities that Fox has, with a season-high 35 points, but his combination of scoring and high-level passing has always been what sets him apart.

Tha Pacers are 8-2 in games where Haliburton scores 20+ points, proving that his scoring could the deciding factor to the game.

Fox is coming off another strong performance with 31 points and 7 assists against the Lakers on an extremely efficient 12-of-17, 70.6%, from the field. He was cooking last night, and against the poor Pacers defense, he has the potential for another big game today.

Stat Predictions:

De'Aaron Fox: 34 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks

Tyrese Haliburton: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks.

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