Analysis: How basketball genius Carlisle helps Pacers Halliburton take a step further in his career

Tyres Halliburton praised Rick Carlisle as a "basketball genius" who improved his level in the Pacers' NBA Finals where the Pacers led the Thunder 2-1.

Tyres Halliburton has become one of the most dazzling stars in the NBA playoffs, leading the Indiana Pacers only two games away from the team's first NBA championship. The 25-year-old point guard attributed his rise to head coach Rick Carlisle after the Indiana Pacers' third game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night.

"Carlisle is just a basketball genius," Halliburton told ESPN's Jamal Collier and Tim McMahon. "All of this is very important. It really took my career to a new level."

Halliburton scored 22 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds and 1 block in Game 3, shooting 9 of 17 shots and 4 of 8 shots. His control of the pace of the game and efficient shooting percentage were the key to the Pacers’ victory, and the Pacers eventually led 2-1 in the NBA Finals.

Rick Carlisle's trust and system helps Tyres Halliburton rise, and the Pacers approach NBA championship

Haliburton has flourished under Carlisle's system since the transfer from the Sacramento Kings in 2022. He was selected as the All-Star for two consecutive years, twice as the third team of the NBA's All-Squad, and led the NBA assists list last season. That year, he averaged 20.1 points, 10.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 69 games, shooting as high as 47.7% from the field and 36.4% from three-pointers.

Halliburton has performed well again this season, averaging 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 73 games. His shooting percentage is as high as 47.3% and his three-point shooting percentage is as high as 38.8%, helping the Pacers reach the Finals for the first time since 2000.

Carlisle's investment in player development is the key to Halliburton's rise. The head coach, who led the Dallas Mavericks to the championship in 2011, has long emphasized empowering players and allowing them to continue to grow through experience.

"They're going to go through some ups and downs," Carlisle said of his young core player. "They make some mistakes. If they can consistently respond to their understanding of the game, the lessons learned will be more profound."

For Halliburton, these experiences are invaluable. After an early adaptation period in Indiana, he took on the responsibility of leading the offense and has since become the facade of the team. The Pacers will face the Thunder at home on ABC TV at 8:30 pm ET on Friday, striving to expand their Finals lead to 3-1. Game 5 of the series will return to Oklahoma City on Monday.