Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers are one win away from clinching a spot in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers were among the favorites in the Eastern Conference heading into the postseason, but Indiana has silenced the doubters amid an incredible playoff run. Before the postseason, Haliburton reached out to WNBA legend Sue Bird to request advice, according to Bleacher Report.
"Tyrese Haliburton reached out to Sue Bird before the playoffs for advice on when to be a scorer and when to be a facilitator," the post on X (formerly Twitter) stated.
The post included an interview featuring sports reporter Taylor Rooks and Bird.
"I had a conversation with Tyrese Haliburton during the first round of the playoffs," Rooks told Bird. "And he told me that he has had extensive discussions with you about when to be a facilitator versus when to be a scorer. How have you seen some of those conversations manifest for Tyrese Haliburton in the playoffs?"
Bird was one of the best guards in WNBA history. She understood when it was time to score and when it was time to find the open teammate. Haliburton clearly took notice of Bird's game, as he asked her for advice on the subject.
It's safe to say that Haliburton has it figured out as well. In the Pacers' recent 130-121 victory against the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton scored 32 points and added 15 assists. He also recorded 12 rebounds for a historic triple-double.
"Well, clearly he's figured it out," Bird responded. "I think my favorite part about watching Tyrese in this run is yes, the clutch play, the big moments, but it's been a little up and down at times. And that's the reality... A lot of times you talk about top players, you talk about All-Stars and you see their great play, but it always comes with a bad quarter, a bad game, a bad stretch... It's really how you respond to that. That's always the differentiator between, like, good players and great players."
The Pacers currently lead the Knicks 3-1 in the series. Earning a final victory in any playoff series is never a simple task, but Indiana is in the driver's seat at the moment. They will remain confident with Tyrese Haliburton playing at a superstar level.
Perhaps Sue Bird's advice helped Haliburton reach the next level in his game.