Lil Wayne Equates Tyrese Haliburton to Jesus After His NBA Finals Game 1 Heroics

Lil Wayne Equates Tyrese Haliburton to Jesus After His NBA Finals Game 1 Heroics

Lil Wayne, Tyrese Haliburton (FS Image)

Tyrese Haliburton created an NBA Finals moment for all times to come with stupendous clutch play in Game 1. He took the ball on a rebound from Obi Toppin with 9 seconds remaining and their season on the line. The point guard crossed half court, refused to look for a switch and swished a game winner. The Pacers trailed for the entire duration of the game except for the final 0.3 seconds after Haliburton’s shot.

The Thunder tried their best to make a play with the minimal time left, but the damage was done. Indiana took a famous road win to inflict OKC their 20th loss of the 2024-25 NBA season. This team went 68-14 in the regular season and had a 12-4 record entering the Finals in the playoffs. It has the reigning NBA MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and had a historically great defense, both in regular season play and postseason.

The home court advantage is now Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers’ to lose, irrespective of the result of Game 2. They have done their job and made a series out of what many assumed could be a sweep for OKC. Though it could still end in five games, as many predicted, the trends set in the playoffs as well as Game 1 indicate that the Pacers will not go away as easily as gambling experts believed ahead of the series.

The Pacers’ clutch play is hardly an aberration. Haliburton has hit improbably clutch shots in each round of this year’s playoffs. He took on Giannis Antetokounmpo to hit a layup with 0.7 seconds left in the first round. He then led the Pacers to an improbable Game 2 comeback against the Cavaliers with more such play. Haliburton then put a dagger in Knicks fans’ hearts with a shot that bounced off the rim before going in.

Hip-hop legend Lil Wayne had rich words of praise for the Pacers star after his impressive run of clutch play. Tweeting in the wake of the release of ‘Tha Carter VI’, Wayne lavished Haliburton with the superlatives ahead of Game 2:

Hali u gon have to sweep these boyz to get some real respect from these folks. Ya clearly walking on water rn and they act like ya surfing. Hang ten dude and make em ride ya wave! Or drown. Ain’t that a beach.

Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s duel will decide the NBA Finals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a scoring machine. The reigning MVP is averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in the playoffs with a 58% true shooting percentage. His ability to dominate inside the arc (57.1% on 2-point shots) and get to the foul line (8.8 attempts per game) makes him a constant offensive threat. SGA’s defensive versatility, with strong steal and block rates, also disrupts opponents.

His consistent 30-point games (11 of 16 playoff games) and ability to control tempo make him the Thunder’s linchpin. If he exploits Indiana’s defense, which struggles against elite scorers, OKC could overpower the Pacers. However, his 2.3 turnovers per game and a missed clutch shot in Game 1 (an 18-footer) show vulnerability under pressure.

SGA’s scoring and defensive prowess contrast with Haliburton’s playmaking and clutch shooting. SGA’s ability to take over games gives OKC an edge in low-scoring affairs, while Haliburton’s vision and low turnovers keep Indiana’s offense fluid against OKC’s aggressive defense. The series may turn on whether SGA’s scoring overwhelms Indiana or Haliburton’s playmaking unlocks OKC’s defense.

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