Tyrese Haliburton Faces Legendary New York Rapper’s Taunts While Leading Pacers to 3-1 Advantage

Tyrese Haliburton Chuck D

Tyrese Haliburton Faces Legendary New York Rapper’s Taunts While Leading Pacers to 3-1 Advantage

Tyrese Haliburton, Chuck D (IG images)

Tyrese Haliburton will likely be on cloud nine after a vintage playoff outing for the Pacers. The point guard secured the first 30-point playoff triple-double in franchise history en route to winning Game 4 vs the Knicks. The fifth-year guard finished the game with 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds and no turnovers. His impact has left the Pacers one game shy of their first return to the NBA Finals in over 25 years.

Haliburton was more assertive than he’d been in the two previous games. He was quick to use screening actions and get himself open, and quick to pull the trigger. His hot shooting led the Pacers to an early lead. However, the Knicks would not go away easily. They kept plugging away at the deficit, often getting within one or two possessions of retaking their lead. However, Haliburton’s offensive acumen kept them at arm’s length.

The Pacers finished the game with a 130-121 win on the back of Haliburton and Pascal Siakam’s contributions. Siakam himself had another 30-point game, being a handful for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the Knicks frontcourt. Bennedict Mathurin was a crucial difference-maker in this game, going off for 20 points from the bench. The Pacers’ bench outscored the Knicks’ bench 36-21.

New York basketball fans would feel extremely vitriolic in the current moment. After all, Tyrese Haliburton has already done enough to be the fanbase’s most hated player since prime Reggie Miller. Legendary Public Enemy rapper Chuck D had a few critiques for Haliburton’s play. Live-tweeting through the course of the game, Chuck D laid out exactly what he thinks of Haliburton and how he operates on the floor.

Nicknaming Haliburton as the stunning Halle Berry, Chuck D claimed Haliburton is carrying the ball too often.

Halle Berry Carries the ball every drive

He also had a few choice words for the referees, who he believed were ‘wearing Pacers uniforms’.

Chuck D also had some issues with the commentary. In particular, he found Stan van Gundy to be really annoying.

The conscious rapper’s affiliations aside, his claims are also valid. Haliburton, like most other current NBA players, is bending the rulebook whenever he palms the ball sideways while dribbling. But this phenomenon is so common as to be completely mundane in the current NBA landscape.

Tyrese Haliburton made Pacers history in Game 4

There were several landmarks for Tyrese Haliburton on the road to their Game 4 victory. His hot start landed him in an exclusive club with LeBron James as he became only the second player in NBA history to record 15+ PTS, 5+ REB, & 5+ AST in a single playoff quarter.

At halftime, Haliburton then joined Russell Westbrook in another exclusive club. He became only the second player to record 20+ PTS, 10+ AST, & 5+ REB in a single half in the playoffs since 1998.

Haliburton also became the only NBA player ever to have 30+ points, 15+ assists, 10+ rebounds and no turnovers in a playoff game. His ball security has earned him a lot of plaudits over the regular season in the past. However, his performances in this year’s playoffs have been even a cut above what he’s shown before.

Haliburton is also the only player in league history to record 30 points, 15 assists, five 3-pointers and no turnovers.

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