Why Steph vs. Haliburton is the matchup to watch in Warriors-Pacers

Why Steph vs. Haliburton is the matchup to watch in Warriors-Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When Tyrese Haliburton leads the Indiana Pacers into the Chase Center on Monday, he will face the Warriors and the point guard he once hoped would be his NBA mentor.

That would be two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

As Haliburton prepared for the 2020 NBA Draft, the Iowa State star expressed delight at the prospect of being selected by the Warriors and serving as Curry’s understudy.

“Steph is one of the best point guards to ever play basketball and probably the best shooter to ever play basketball, it would be huge for me to learn from him and just pick his brain,” Haliburton told NBC Sports Bay Area on a pre-draft conference call. “And then take on that challenge in practice, too, because if I can stay in front of Steph and guard, I feel like I could probably guard anybody.”

The Warriors, who have the No. 2 overall pick, selected center James Wiseman (who is now an inactive member of the Pacers). Haliburton was taken 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings, who in his second season traded him to the Pacers.

It didn’t take long for Haliburton to prove he was ready. He had started 51 games for the Kings that season and immediately became the starting point guard for Indiana. Within a year, he established himself as a team leader and made his first All-Star Game appearance.

After a slow start this season, Haliburton, 24, has found his rhythm. Over his last 12 games, he is averaging 20.7 points on 49.7 percent shooting from the field, including 41.7 percent from distance, and 8.8 assists. His 4.33 assist-to-turnover ratio is fourth in the league.

Curry, 36, is averaging 22.4 points per game. game on 44.5 percent shooting, including 41.1 percent beyond the arc. He is coming off a stellar performance in a 113-103 road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves last Saturday, when he scored 31 points, including 13 in less than three minutes.

The matchup between the potential mentor and the potential mentee will likely dictate the direction of the offenses and the game. Curry sees every game as an opportunity to prove he’s still got it, while Haliburton continues to make his case for the best young point guard in the NBA.

Curry and Haliburton have only been teammates once, as members of Team USA’s gold medal-winning roster at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Curry was the star during the medal round, Haliburton mostly watched.

As teammates, Haliburton would have been OK with that four years ago. Not now.

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