Buddy Hield Explains How Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton is Similar to Steph Curry

The former Pacers player explained what makes Tyrese Haliburton so great.

Dec 26, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) dribbles the ball while Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Tyrese Haliburton has been the best player on the Indiana Pacers pretty much since he got to Indiana. Once the trade was made to ship Domantas Sabonis to the Kings and bring Haliburton to Indiana, it was clear that he was going to be the new best player.

He has not disappointed in his role. Haliburton was a third-team All-NBA selection last season after posting 20 points and almost 11 assists per game on 47.7 percent shooting from the field and 36% from three. He had signed a supermax deal after the 2022-23 season and it kicked in once he was chosen for All-NBA.

While he had his worst game of the season on Thursday night against the Thunder, he was very good in the seven games prior, averaging over 20 points and nine assists on almost 50 percent shooting. The Pacers played one of his former teammates, Buddy Hield, and beat him.

Hield was part of the trade that brought Haliburton from Sacramento to Indiana. He was also Haliburton's best friend on the team and certainly benefitted from his play. When asked what makes him so good and similar to his current teammate Stephen Curry, Hield offered a ton of praise.

"He makes the game easier for sure," Hield said of playing with Curry. "He's like playing with a Haliburton type. He just understands the game and he just attracts a bunch of people. The gravitation on him is so real. On the court with him, there's more happening. He's going to get a good shot or I'm going to get a shot or somebody else is going to get a good shot."

For a shooter like Hield, it was a lot of fun to play with a pass-first point guard like Haliburton. He tries to get his teammates involved before he gets his own offense going, sometimes to the detriment of the team. That's what happened against Oklahoma City on Thursday, where he scored just four points.

Haliburton showed a level of superstardom in the first three months of the 2023-24 season that the Pacers had not seen in a really long time. He hasn't quite gotten back to that moment since he hurt his hamstring at two different points in the season. Still, Pacers fans know it's there.

Haliburton has a chance to bounce back and play like a superstar moving forward.

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