Tyrese Haliburton

Becoming league history’s first team to win three postseason games after trailing by 19+ points likely wasn’t the way the Indiana Pacers drew it up, but amidst heavy pressure, Tyrese Haliburton has turned crunchtime coolness into an art form. One week after coordinating a series-clinching come-from-behind charge that saw Indiana behind by seven in the final 40 seconds, Haliburton readies himself for a near-mirrored-image comeback attempt, blurring past Jarrett Allen for a deficit-trimming layup. Only just beginning, Haliburton returns once more, turboing ahead of Isaac Okoro to again resuscitate the Pacers’ seemingly-improbable victory hopes. Haliburton’s most unforgettable sequence, though, arrived first through a misfired free throw that — by the grace of the “basketball gods” — caroms into his possession, presenting the opportunity at something greater than a tie. A near-perfect 10-of-11 on go-ahead or game-tying shot attempts in the final minute-and-a-half in 2024-25, Haliburton adds to his late-game legend, conquering the tango against Ty Jerome through a space-creating stepback, followed by a game-winning 3-pointer. Punching Indiana’s second-consecutive Conference Finals ticket days later, Haliburton stole May 6, 2025’s show against the Cleveland Cavaliers through a 19-point (on 7-of-11 shooting) display, paired with nine rebounds, four assists, one block, and two 3-pointers.