In early June, former NBA champion–turned–ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins finally spoke out on the controversy that roiled the Eastern Conference Finals: Why Pascal Siakam, not Tyrese Haliburton, was named ECF MVP.
After weeks of watching the debate rage across social media and talk shows, Perkins broke his silence in a viral segment on ABC from the 2025 NBA Finals, declaring that Siakam’s consistency across all six games justified the Larry Bird Trophy—even if many had pegged Haliburton as the hero of that series.
Now, as the Finals shift back to Indianapolis for Game 3, Perkins has made another bold proclamation. He doesn’t expect another “clutch” night from Haliburton against a Thunder defense he insists is among the league’s elite.
Kendrick Perkins Doubts Haliburton’s Skills for Game 3 vs. OKC
Indiana’s rising superstar, Haliburton, answered critics in Game 1 with a jaw-dropping 0.3-second buzzer-beater, capping a 15-point fourth-quarter rally to steal a 111–110 win on the road.
But Game 2 brought a sobering reminder of the Thunder’s defensive prowess, as OKC tightened its screws and held Haliburton to just 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting. As the series shifts to Indianapolis for Game 3, the question looms: Can the 25-year-old guard summon another epic clutch in front of a frenzied Gainbridge Fieldhouse?
Perkins’s answer: a resolute “no.” On an ESPN panel, he laid out his case bluntly: “I don’t believe he can. We’re talking about one of the best defensive teams in NBA history. […] Tyrese Haliburton is not known for elite scoring,” Perkins asserted.
Perk on Hali having a big game in the next game:
“I don’t believe he can. We’re talking about one of the best defensive teams in NBA history. Tyrese Haliburton is not known for elite scoring” pic.twitter.com/hXna1A4B7c
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) June 9, 2025
Then he ticked off the names of Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, and Cason Wallace—guards he insists will chase Haliburton off his spots and sap his confidence.
OKC’s defensive identity has been built on length, discipline, and seamless rotations. Caruso’s wingspan gives him rare versatility against penetration, Dort’s physicality wears down ball-handlers, and Wallace’s energy closes driving lanes.
Perkins highlighted how this collective has repeatedly disrupted high-volume scorers—and why, in his view, Haliburton’s shot opportunities will vanish against such a cohesive unit.
Perkins declared that Haliburton isn’t “capable” like them: “I don’t know if he is capable of having one of those must-in scoring nights.”
Will Perkins’s Haliburton Prediction Become NBA Finals Lore?
For Indiana, a Haliburton scoring drought would thrust Pascal Siakam back into the spotlight. Siakam carried the Pacers through the 2024-25 season, averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 52.3% shooting en route to Perkins’s MVP endorsement. In contrast, Haliburton has averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists, with 47.3% shooting during the same stretch.
Strategically, Indiana may have to lean even more on Pascal Siakam’s two-way impact if Haliburton’s scoring is held in check, if Haliburton keeps on producing low-scoring nights like Game 2, where he made 12 points in the fourth quarter after scoring just five in the first three.
I understand why some folks say Tyrese Haliburton is not a superstar. These kinda low scoring nights wouldn’t be allowed by any other superstar.
— Eric Vincent (@IAmEricVincent) June 9, 2025
Pressure rarely alters Perkins’s viewpoint. Having twice been on championship radars—once as a player, again as an analyst—he trusts patterns over punchlines. His bold prognostication against Haliburton isn’t personal. It’s analytical.
If the trend of the Thunder’s defensive dominance holds, Perkins believes Game 3 will tilt back to Oklahoma City. And if Haliburton fails to ignite, it could expose a strategic overload on Indiana’s backcourt.
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Yet basketball thrives on defiance. Haliburton’s postseason résumé features four previous game-winning shots, and his composure under fire remains unmatched. As the clock winds down in Game 3, he may well stare down Perkins’s skepticism and shatter it with another highlight-reel moment.
