The Indiana Pacers find themselves up 1-0 over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals thanks to a phenomenal showing from Tyrese Haliburton. He finished Game 1 with 31 points and 11 assists, including what looked to be a game-winning 3-pointer at the end of regulation but was ruled a game-tying 2-pointer after review.
Haliburton went on to lead the Pacers to a 138-135 win in overtime, capping off a 17-point comeback victory. After the game, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith weighed in on whether Haliburton has arrived as an NBA superstar.
Stephen A. Smith Says Tyrese Haliburton Is Not a Superstar
Smith took to “First Take” to discuss whether Haliburton is now a superstar after his Game 1 performance vs. the Knicks.
“I think he’s a damn good player. I think that he’s a star in this league, but superstar status is reserved for the select few, and I don’t view him that way,” Smith said.
“When I think superstar, I’m thinking Steph (Curry), I’m thinking LeBron (James), I’m thinking people like that. I’m thinking Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.”
"Superstar status is reserved for the select few, and I don't view him that way."@stephenasmith believes Tyrese Haliburton is a "star" but hitting clutch shots doesn't necessarily make you a superstar ✍️ pic.twitter.com/oj2ThAac4V
— First Take (@FirstTake)
Smith also clarified that he isn’t saying Haliburton will never be a superstar. He does think that the Pacers guard has superstar potential and he could become one in time — he just is not one right now.
If the Pacers manage to advance to the NBA Finals and hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, perhaps that may change Smith’s opinion — particularly if Haliburton has a huge series against a superstar like Gilgeous-Alexander or Anthony Edwards.
Pacers Move to 18-1 on the Season When Tyrese Haliburton Scores 25+ Points
The Pacers rely on Haliburton for a lot. He is a phenomenal playmaker and sets the pace for one of the fastest and most exciting offenses in the league.
However, when the Pacers can get a different kind of production from Haliburton, they appear to be nearly unstoppable.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton dropped 31 points on the Knicks en route to a 138-135 overtime victory. With the win, the Pacers are now 18-1 on the season (including the playoffs) when Haliburton scores 25+ points in a game.
The Indiana Pacers are 18-1 when Tyrese Haliburton has 25+ points this season (including playoffs). pic.twitter.com/UhefFSFJOJ
— StatMuse (@statmuse)
During the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Pacers are 3-0 when Haliburton scores at least 25 points — with two of the three games being closeout games to finish off the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
If Haliburton can keep up this kind of scoring production, the Pacers could potentially make history by securing their franchise’s first NBA title.