The NBA regular season has been going on for two months this season, and the situation in the East and West is gradually becoming clearer. As they get older, the dominance and efficiency of legends such as James, Durant and Curry are declining, and a new generation of players is rapidly rising to take their place. The Timberwolves relied on double No. 1 Edwards (25. per game).9 points 55 rebounds and 53 assists) and Downs (216 points 93 rebounds) solidified the offensive end, and their defense was the best in the league. The Thunder once again formed a team led by Alexander (311 point 58 rebounds and 65 assists) + Jay (18. per game3 points 38 rebounds 37 assists) + Holmgren (17. per game5 points 78 rebounds and 27 blocks), ranked among the top six in the league on both offensive and defensive ends, and there are no shortcomings at all.
Mesozoic stars, including Jokic and Antetokounmpo, have led their teams to win championships, while young stars such as Tatum and Doncic are still on the rise.
The teams that rely on defense to rise are typically represented by the Timberwolves, Thunder, Rockets, and Magic, but there is one team that has its own way, and almost all the statistics related to offense are at the top of the league!The Pacers have a 16-14 record this season and are eighth in the East, and their biggest weakness is their lack of defense, to be exact, a young roster and a lack of a second core, but their offense has reached an all-time level: 121 offensive efficiency8 No. 1 in the league, averaging 126 points per game1. First in the league, averaging 30 per gameHe had five assists and was ranked first in the league while shooting 50 from the fieldNo. 1 in the league in 6%, No. 2 in the league in fast-break scoring, No. 3 in the league in three-point shooting percentage, and No. 3 in the league in scoring on opponent turnovers!And as the absolute core of the team, Haliburton is also constantly breaking various all-time records!Haliburton was an eye-catcher against the Bulls, playing 37 minutes and hitting 7-of-17 from the field, including 6-of-13 three-pointers, for a total of two
1 point, 20 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals, and no turnovers!This makes him the first player in NBA history to achieve 20+20 in a game and hit 6 three-pointers without turnover!Even if you don't take into account three-point shooting, the only players who can do 20+20 and make zero mistakes in the last 40 years are Paul and Haliburton!Even though he is not yet 24 years old, he has shown maturity that is not commensurate with his age, averaging 24. per game this season7 points 40 rebounds 124 assists (also first in the league)!His shooting moves looked a little peculiar, but with 423% three-point shooting, averaging 3 per game7 three-pointers!He's hit 99 three-pointers this season, second only to Curry, Doncic, Bane and Trae YoungUnder his leadership, the Pacers have eight players averaging double-doubles in points per gameThe Pacers have only won a total of 94 games in the last 3 seasons, which shows that they are.
A weak brigade in the Eastern League, but Halliburton changed all that. Haliburton was selected by the Kings with the 12th pick in the 2020 draft, but due to his overlap with Fox in terms of position, the Kings opted to trade the young player with an uncertain future. At that time, the U.S. revealed that the Kings asked most of the league's teams about his trade, but the response was that his asking price was too high, so no one was interested. In the end, the Pacers traded Sabonis, Lamb, Justin Holiday and a second-round pick for Hield, as well as Haliburton and Tristan Thompson.
Since Haliburton joined the Pacers, he's made significant progress every year, from an initial 175 points 96 assists, to 20 last season7 points 104 assists, and this season, he has become one of the league's new generation of point guards!According to the data, Haliburton is the third player in NBA history to average at least 25 points + 10 assists + 50% + 40% per game in a single month, the first two are: Jordan and James!It's not an exaggeration to say that Halliburton is a combination of Paul and Harden. He's top-notch finishers, solid with the ball, rarely turnovers, and, like Harden, he's got a long three-point range and even developed step-backs.
In addition, Haliburton's big-picture vision and vision on the court is the same as the Clippers' Paul days, his ability to advance with the ball, find the best position to score, and his ability to read the game is excellent, which is the key to the Pacers' offensive efficiency to an all-time high this season. In an interview with the Bay Area**, Haliburton revealed a fascinating story: He traveled to Las Vegas for the Warriors' tryout and boasted of being "flawless" in that tryout. He's eager to join this top team like Curry. Sadly, however, the Warriors ended up with the No. 1 pick. Afterwards, Haliburton learned that if the Warriors were outside the top three in the draft, he would likely be a member of the Warriors. In the end, the Warriors selected Wiseman as the No. 1 pick, and then traded Wiseman before last season's trade deadline in exchange for Payton Jr. and five second-round picks, missing out on Haliburton.
Haliburton's victory over Harden to make it to the All-Star team is no accident, and he has already shown what a new generation of the league's No. 1 point guard can look like. As for the Pacers to get results quickly, they need to send away veterans like Hield and Turner to find a suitable partner for Haliburton, and the team needs a strong second scorer. While the defensive side can be compensated for by acquired effort, the offensive ability relies on talent. The Carlisle coach has often praised Haliburton, who he believes could be a strengthened version of Nash, or Curry, who has top-level playmaking skills. It's a shame that the Warriors are missing out on Haliburton right now.