'Overrated' Tyrese Haliburton staking claim as top floor general in the NBA

From the outset, it was clear Haliburton was prepared to lead Indy to a convincing series lead. 

During the opening quarter, the two-time All-Star was nearly flawless, draining all three of his three-point attempts and knocking down each of his four free throw attempts. 

The 6-foot-5 guard finished the first quarter with 15 points, five rebounds and six assists, becoming the second player in the play-by-play era (1998) to have 15-plus points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists in a single playoff quarter. 

"He's done an unbelievable job of creating a great pace for this team," TNT's Kenny Smith said.

Ever since he was labeled the 'most overrated' player in the league, Haliburton has routinely proven that he's worthy of his superstar billing. 

His four games with 20-plus points and 10-plus assists are the most by any player this postseason. Plus, he has been money in late-game situations, shooting 12-of-14 on shots to tie or go ahead in the final two minutes. 

Now, after another dazzling masterclass, the Olympic gold medalist has the Pacers primed for their first Finals appearance in 25 years.

"I'm excited," Haliburton said of the possibility of closing out the series at Madison Square Garden. "It should be a lot of fun. That's a tough environment to play in. So, we gotta be ready. We'll get better from what we lacked tonight and be ready for Game 5."

By now, it's evident that Haliburton was mislabeled as the NBA's most overrated player. With each passing game, as Indy inches closer to a title, Haliburton's case as the top floor general in the Eastern Conference grows. 

While reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a better scorer, the Pacers star has been the most complete point guard in the East. 

Following his 15-assist, zero-turnover performance in Game 4, Haliburton boasts 110 more assists than he does turnovers in the playoffs. The Pacer star now has 11 career games with 15-plus assists and zero turnovers, trailing only John Stockton (13) and Chris Paul (13) for the most all-time, per Sportradar. 

He's never in a rush, and his ability to score in bunches while keeping his teammates involved has been a major boost for Indy. 

"Tyrese is a great player," Pacers HC Rick Carlisle told reporters postgame. "I think people realize that. He happens to do some really impressive statistical things. But he’s well aware that all of this far transcends statistics.”

Once believed to be overrated, the 25-year-old guard has quietly staked his claim as the top floor general in the Eastern Conference.