Gainbridge Fieldhouse saw a close battle on Saturday as the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks, 128-108, in the Eastern Conference Finals. They now advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, head-to-head against the OKC Thunder.
After multiple critics labeled Haliburton an “overrated” player, he proved them wrong one step at a time this postseason. He threw bangers after bangers, dished out multiple assists, hooped like a legend, and drew in as many rebounds anchored by his triple-double threat. No wonder there were “underrated” chants going around the arena after the Game 6 victory.
Indy Fans Roar “Underrated” As Tyrese Haliburton Proves Doubters Wrong
Haliburton did not fold under the NY pressure in Game 6. He was firm, steady, and energized, taking the Knicks down, one by one. After the historic win, he turned his focus into a sly grin that captured the bittersweet tempo of what he had achieved.
He sealed the deal with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals, and a block. He shot 9-of-17 from the field and 2-of-5 from beyond the arc in just 37 minutes of gameplay.
Haliburton contributed a lasting performance in a series-clinching win, shutting his doubters down for good. The momentum he’s built up over this postseason calls for the “underrated” chants going about in the arena.
As he sat down with the NBA on TNT crew after the win, hundreds of fans were roaring in celebration as he proudly showed off the ECF trophy. Check it out!
Pacers fans chanting underrated during Hali’s interview pic.twitter.com/8TXYp18omG
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) June 1, 2025
From buzzer beaters to the Reggie Miller chokes, Haliburton has done it all, becoming the catalyst for the Pacers to redefine their legacy. Indiana has all the momentum right now to score offensively, all thanks to his contributions.
He’s now a new villain in New York.
Haliburton Shunning “Overrated” Remarks
When the Athletic came out with its polls last month, it prompted widespread attention when Haliburton was voted to be the NBA’s ‘most overrated’ player. With the votes all contributed by players and peers, it probably stung more.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith opined that the size of the voting pool did not matter in labeling Haliburton an overrated player. He implied that there could be other personal reasons behind the votes coming in from his peers.
“There were people — and this is not fair to Tyrese Haliburton,” Smith said. “I wanna preface my comments by saying it’s not fair to him. But you had people who didn’t like him, didn’t like his bravado, his swag, whatever. They thought it was a bit premature.
He further added, “And they did not like how his father annoyed people, which is what led to his father ultimately having that encounter with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] that got him banned from about eight games. These are facts…but he didn’t deserve that.”
Hali seized the day, despite all the setbacks. He borrowed Miller’s choking taunt in the first game of the series, wore a hoodie with the same Reggie Miller-choke after eliminating New York last year.
Despite the “overrated” tag, he has given not the Knicks but the entire league many reasons to respect him.
