Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton Gets 100% Real on the Team's Inspiring Playoff Run 1 May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) during the second half of game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton Gets 100% Real on the Team’s Inspiring Playoff Run

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated May 15, 2025 9:05 AM ET

The Indiana Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference Finals after eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games during the second round, and Tyrese Haliburton isn’t taking this for granted.

Haliburton recently appeared on the Pat McAfee Show to discuss his team’s inspiring postseason run. The Indiana Pacers guard revealed that everyone on the team is playing with a huge chip on their shoulders.

“We have a lot of guys who have been overlooked at some point in their career… We use it as fuel to, you know, try to do something special,” Haliburton said on the podcast.

May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) walks off the court after game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Haliburton has a point since he is used to being overlooked throughout his NBA career. Not too long ago, the two-time NBA All-Star was voted the most overrated player in the league in an anonymous poll from The Athletic, and he has been playing an inspired brand of basketball ever since.

Indiana Pacers make history after consecutive ECF appearances

According to Pat Boylan, the Indiana Pacers became the first team in NBA history to make the conference finals in back-to-back seasons while never being a Top 3 seed. They were the sixth seed last year and the fourth seed this year.

May 6, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) defends Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) on a follow through for a game-winning three-point basket in the fourth quarter during game two of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

After being swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Indiana Pacers might fancy their chances this year since the New York Knicks, whom they beat last year in the second round, are poised to advance following Jayson Tatum’s devastating Achilles injury.

Indiana also plan to make their first Finals appearance since 2000, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers – led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal – in six games.