December 9, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots the basketball against Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter of the in-season tournament championship at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

LeBron James Heaps Praise on Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton Ahead of NBA Finals

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 3:22 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers have surprised everyone in the NBA by making the NBA Finals. No one expected them to make this leap, despite the fact that the Pacers made the Eastern Conference a year ago.

A large reason why the Pacers are in this spot is because of what Tyrese Haliburton brings to the floor. His ability to push the pace and make plays without turning the ball over is special.

Haiburton has been able to lead the Pacers to the NBA Finals with his unique brand of basketball. He can shoot the three and make incredible passes right on time.

Despite being voted the most overrated player in the NBA in a much-maligned Athletic poll, Haliburton does have some guys in the league who appreciate his game.

LeBron James is one of those guys. James is one of the best players to ever play in the NBA, and he loves what the Pacers and Haliburton have been doing. He spoke about it on his Mind The Game podcast.

“You can gravitate and bring energy and love and would run through a wall for certain guys, and he’s a guy that you would do that for, just because of how he plays the game...Everyone's preparation is different, everybody is different. But Hali is one of them ones. The success is not happening just because it came out of the blue. It's happening because of Hali and that team.

James understands what Haliburton gives to the Pacers. He is the engine that drives everything they do, especially on the offensive end of the court.

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Indiana is not expected to win the title by most NBA pundits. In fact, just one out of the 15 experts that ESPN surveyed picked the Pacers to win the title. A lot of them picked OKC in five games.

This isn't something that his new for the Pacers. They are used to being underdogs, as they have been the entire playoff run. They are looking to make another upset and force peopel to respect them.

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This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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