Tyrese Haliburton Roasts ‘Box Score Watchers’ Ahead of NBA Finals Game 2

Pacers Tyrese Haliburton did not waste any time to throw shade at his haters and naysayers ahead of his game against the Thunder.

Tyrese Haliburton Roasts ‘Box Score Watchers’ Ahead of NBA Finals Game 2

Tyrese Haliburton (Image by FirstSportz)

Tyrese Haliburton, a star for the Indiana Pacers, is refusing to back down from those who criticize his unorthodox style of play. In response to continuous criticism over his influence on games, the explosive point guard recently shared his thoughts on the current NBA fanbase and analytical fixation.

Following a historically close postseason run that ended in a thrilling victory over Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Finals, Haliburton made these remarks.

He only finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but with 0.3 seconds left, he made the game-winning basket to give the Pacers the first advantage of the game after they had fallen by 15 points in the fourth quarter. When questioned about being underappreciated because of his unorthodox style at a recent news conference, Haliburton responded with his usual candor.

The way the game is digested by the fans sometimes. I think it’s a lot of boxscore watchers.

Tyrese Haliburton said

Haliburton’s open evaluation of his style of play and the criticism he receives from supporters and analysts who prioritize traditional statistics over overall game impact sparked the conversation.
Haliburton’s performance is still questioned even after he finished the 2024–25 season with an average of 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game.

The Pacers guard’s style of play has come under scrutiny ever since he joined the league as the 12th overall pick in 2020. Analysts and basketball enthusiasts who value traditional basketball aesthetics over usefulness have criticized his shooting style and general strategy.

It’s safe to say that Haliburton has been on a mission to prove everyone wrong with his performances throughout this 2024-25 NBA season. Not only that, he has also made many people backtrack on their comments about him after his historic clutch performances throughout the NBA 2025 Playoffs.

Kendric Perkins had huge words for Tyrese Haliburton’s teammate, Pascal Siakam

Once more, the Indiana Pacers succeeded. Tyrese Haliburton’s 21-foot mid-range shot in the fourth quarter helped them erase a 15-point deficit to steal Game 1 of the Finals. Kendrick Perkins, however, came forward to identify the man he thinks was the Pacers’ best player during their 111-110 victory, as Haliburton was the center of attention and headlines.

Tyrese Haliburton is the most popular player on this team. He’s the face, but the player who has been the best player on this team consistently has been Pascal Siakam. You talk about having the first half; he was the one that was in the mix of things, and we expect that out of an NBA champion.

Kendrick Perkins said

Notably, Pascal Siakam finished the game with his 19-point, 10-rebound double-double, three assists, one block, and several important plays that weren’t included in the box score. Perkins, who never follows the herd, contended that Siakam should be named the Player of the Game for Game 1 as a result. Now, it remains to be seen whether or not Siakam and Haliburton once again upset the Thunder in Game 2.

Pacers HC Rick Carlisle spoke about the ‘number of fouls called’ in an NBA game

During his Game 2 media conference on Saturday, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle offered his thoughts on that element of the game overall and had a direct opinion about limiting free-throw attempts. For the most part, the play flowed well since the two teams totaled 45 free throws over four quarters.

Referees once again tightened their whistles, which was in line with previous playoff trends in which officials permitted greater physicality than during the regular season.

The game’s gotten more physical in the last year and a half as changes were made to interpretations (of the rule book), I’m a believer that that’s the right way to go. Nobody wants to come to an NBA game and watch a free throw shooting contest and have the game last for three hours.

Rick Carlisle told the reporters

Depending on how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is referred to by the referees throughout the series, this phrase might come up again. SGA’s high free-throw shooting percentages versus the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference playoffs drew a lot of criticism from fans. Hence, Carlisle coming out and addressing this issue indirectly makes sense going into Game 2 on Sunday.

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