Shaq still doesn't want to put Haliburton among the best clutch performers: "I'm not ready to be like, 'He's the next Reggie Miller" originally appeared on Basketball Network .
The Indiana Pacers have been the ultimate underdogs of the 2024-25 season. Despite constant doubts about their ability to advance past each round, they've consistently stunned the favorites with resilience and grit, refusing to bow to star-studded rosters. At the center of this remarkable journey and surge is Tyrese Haliburton , who has inhumanly knocked game-tying or game-winning buckets under pressure.
In fact, in a single postseason, Hali has had as many of those clutch buckets as Reggie Miller has had in his career, yet for NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal , the two-time All-Star isn't quite ready to be placed in the category of all-time clutch performers.
Not only has he knocked a clutch bucket in every series thus far but since the 1997 postseason, but Tyrese's five go-ahead or game-tying field goals in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime are also tied with "Uncle Reg" and trail only LeBron James (who has eight), who has spent over two decades in the league. Thus, in a league where even the most elite have cracked under pressure, Haliburton has used the 2025 playoffs alone to crave a hero-esque image, leading the Pacers to a win in every clutch scenario.
Still, "The Diesel" has reservations. While the four-time NBA champion didn't hold back in admitting that Tyrese has become one of the best players to watch for him, O'Neal doesn't think that one playoff run can force him to place Haliburton among the all-time greatest closers, especially when he has seen firsthand how players like Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant , and others have proven their ability in multiple postseason runs.
"I don't wanna put him in that category (all-time clutch performers) yet. He's a joy to watch, he plays the right way, makes the right pass, very unselfish, knows when to take over for his team. When you have the ability and the trust of your teammates to take last shot, and you hit 'em, you know, it makes everything good, " O'Neal said. "It's not really my job (to call him the best clutch performer), but if anybody wants to do that, they certainly have the freedom to do that. But I can say he's not afraid of the moment… I'm not ready to be like, 'Okay, he's the next Reggie Miller or he's Mamba Mentality,' however, I'm happy for him, and he's one of my favorite players to watch."
With the Oklahoma City Thunder bouncing back to level the Finals series in Game 2, it is clear that this will be no easy ride. The Thunder aren't satisfied with being the best in their conference, but they're coming for it all.
Coach Rick Carlisle's team must be ready to withstand a serious storm as the series shifts to Indiana. In that moment, with thousands of passionate fans behind him in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Haliburton will face the ultimate test. Another signature moment, perhaps another game-winner or clutch fourth-quarter display, could not only break OKC's momentum but could also etch Tyrese's name into the league's lore forever.
So far, while the 25-year-old has silenced his critics with fearless basketball, it is time for him to achieve much more than that now. If the 6'5" point guard can lead his team past the best team in the league, there is no doubt that this could go down as one of the most outstanding performances by an individual in a single postseason run, but for that, it looks like Tyrese will have to do will twice as much as what he has delivered so far.
In a league where greatness is often taken for granted if the Pacers do not end up winning it all, there's a high chance Hali's heroics might not be remembered for long. So, it is essential to see if Tyrese will be able to bring his best to the forthcoming games after scoring just 17 points in Game 2.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
