On Thursday night, Rick Carlisle and the Indiana Pacers faced the Oklahoma City Thunder at home and lost 120-114. All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton struggled in the loss, finishing the game with just four points, two rebounds and eight assists. He shot 2 of 6 from the field and missed both of his three-point attempts in 35 minutes of play.

“Ty only ended up with four points and six shots, but they assigned him Lu Dort. And Lu Dort is the best defender there is in this league,” the Pacers head coach said of his star point guard after the game.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, led the Oklahoma City Thunder to victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night, finishing the game with 45 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

Tyrese Haliburton’s problems continue

Tyrese Haliburton struggled for 35 minutes of play, making just two field goals for four points and missing all four of his three-point attempts. He was also the only starter for Indiana who did not attempt a free throw. In contrast, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went a perfect 11-for-11 on the charity team.

Haliburton had the lowest plus/minus among all Pacers starters at -13.

The Pacers star began the 2024-25 season after winning a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. His addition to Steve Kerr’s roster marked a remarkable rise since his arrival with the Indiana Pacers. Haliburton is considered a potential superstar and is often viewed as one of the NBA’s best playmakers.

However, as your reputation increases, so does the focus of your opponent’s defense. At the start of the new season, the 24-year-old faced the challenge of reaching his usual level of performance, particularly when it comes to scoring goals.

Growing pains for Haliburton and the Pacers

Haliburton’s difficulties are simply part of his development. As a star player, he is now the main target of the opposing defense. He is featured prominently in scouting reports and often acts as the engine behind his team’s offense. For this reason, his difficulties are to be expected. Many All-Star players have had to go through similar periods of growth.

Still, it doesn’t make things any easier for the Pacers. After finishing last season on a strong note with an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals and a spot in the NBA Cup Finals, expectations were high for their progress this season. Rick Carlisle’s team was expected to keep moving forward, but as Haliburton and his teammates are learning, development is rarely a linear path.

The Pacers’ five-game winning streak ended and their record fell to 15-16. Meanwhile, the Thunder, who lead the Western Conference, improved to 24-5 and extended their winning streak to nine games. In particular, the loss in the NBA Cup Final against the Bucks does not count towards the regular season standings.

The Pacers were up seven points in both quarters of the second half, but still only managed to lose by six points. With two games coming up in the next three days, they can’t afford to dwell on what could have been. Their next challenge is the Boston Celtics, the team that ended its season in the Eastern Conference Finals.