Behind every successful man, there’s a woman, and Jade Jones hyped up Tyrese Haliburton amid his postseason battle. The biggest cheerleader of the Indiana Pacers’ guard stepped up to the plate and got on the hype train after he completed a sensational dunk. It certainly got the crowd on their feet as the Pacers won Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks (123-115).
During the second quarter, with around 2.5 minutes to go, Haliburton received a pick from Myles Turner, went through the lane, and flushed it home, bringing the score to 62-54 in favor of the Pacers.
Moreover, this came after a poll by The Athletic, in which NBA players voted Haliburton as the league’s most overrated player. That’s one way to shut down the haters!
Tyrese Haliburton’s Girlfriend Gets on the Hype Train After Monster Dunk
The dunk came at the right time for the player after an underwhelming scoring performance in Game 1. Although the assist numbers rose to 12, Haliburton conjured 10 points in his team’s 117-98 victory against the Bucks.
But when the chips are down, some players step up big-time!
Hali’s girlfriend, Jade, was loving it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NIsBVu1Y51
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA)
Haliburton’s dunk got the crowd alive as his girlfriend applauded from the courtside. Using the crowd’s energy as fuel, Haliburton improved his scoring in Game 2, finishing with 21 points and 12 assists.
However, with his efficiency lingering around 42.1%, there’s room for improvement for the former Iowa State player. When Haliburton stole the headlines with the dunk, Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard showed their class, too. Notably, Siakam earned 24 points and 11 rebounds to help the team reach the finish line. In the meantime, Nembhard shot 60% from the floor and finished with 17 points.
This series is far from over, as the poll sparked interest in Haliburton.
The League’s Most Overrated and Underrated Players Steal the Limelight
Multiple players voted to select the league’s most overrated player, and Haliburton finished on top with 14.4%. In 2024, he finished with 3.4% in the overrated player list. With the player failing to make the All-Star Game and seeing a decline in points and assists, the voting results may not surprise some.
NBA players voted Tyrese Haliburton as the league’s most overrated player
(Via @TheAthletic ) pic.twitter.com/ZBUWM3rCSP
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
Last year, Haliburton averaged 20.1 points and 10.9 assists per game. Those numbers dipped a bit this time, with Haliburton averaging 18.6 and 9.2, respectively. The latest poll could catalyze the player to switch those opinions from overrated to underrated.
Cade Cunningham received votes for the league’s most underrated player. The Detroit Pistons ended their 15-game playoff losing streak with a Game 2 triumph against the New York Knicks. Cunningham scored 33 points in the historic win as he drew plaudits from the basketball fraternity.
This season, the player showed his class as the Pistons emerged as the dark horse for this year’s playoffs. He’s on a career-high for points, assists, and 3-pointers made.
With the attention on Cunningham right now, Haliburton could use the poll to give the Pacers an advantage in the next two games and flip the script.
