There were already warning signs that Tyrese Haliburton’s production for the Indiana Pacers was declining at the start of the 2024 calendar year. From January 1 until the end of the regular season, Haliburton averaged 17.2 points and 9.5 assists on 45/33/86 splits — solid numbers, but not at the 20 and 10 level everyone has grown accustomed to seeing out of him. And while Haliburton did have his moments in the playoffs before succumbing to injury, he hasn’t quite recovered his form yet to start the 2024-25 season.
While Haliburton had far from his worst game on Friday night in the Pacers’ disappointing 129-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup group stage, putting up 18 points and nine assists on 6-14 shooting (4-10 from deep), this has been a continuation of the slow start he’s had to the 2024-25 season. And at this point, the Pacers star is having a bit of a crisis in figuring out why in the world he’s struggling to this degree.
“Nah. Nah I don’t [have a better sense of what’s holding me back],” a despondent Haliburton told reporters following their Friday night loss, via Tony East of Forbes.
Some of Tyrese Haliburton postgame: pic.twitter.com/aMWSxbOOFN
— Tony East (@TonyREast) November 23, 2024
At the moment, the only way out of this slump for Haliburton is through. There are some who think that a back injury is what’s bothering the Pacers star. Perhaps that is true. But if Haliburton were to keep playing, then all he could do is continue putting the work in and trust that he is doing enough to snap himself out of this funk.
“It’s part of it. It’s part of basketball. I just got to keep trusting myself, working hard, trusting my teammates. And yeah, I’ll figure it out,” Haliburton added.
Pacers’ rough start to the 2024-25 season continues
For all the hullabaloo surrounding the Bucks’ struggles this season, after the results of their Friday night matchup, the Pacers now have a worse record (6-10) than Milwaukee does (7-9). For a team that made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, this is nothing short of a disappointment.
At the very least, there is hope that positive regression is due for Haliburton. He has been an efficient nightly 20-10 threat throughout his Pacers tenure, and it’s not as if he simply lost what makes him special over the course of one offseason. But there must be a sense of urgency in figuring things out especially when they’re currently sitting in 11th in the Eastern Conference standings.
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