Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went head-to-head in the 2025 NBA Finals.
Haliburton carried the Indiana Pacers to the final round of the playoffs with an incredible postseason performance, including several game-winning shots.
On the other side, Gilgeous-Alexander led an excellent Oklahoma City Thunder roster to the best regular season record (68-14) and through the loaded Western Conference.
The two superstars battled it out on the biggest stage, and now Haliburton has so much respect for the Finals MVP.
Gilgeous-Alexander won the scoring title, the regular season MVP, the championship, and the Finals MVP last season.
It will be remembered as one of the greatest individual campaigns of all time, and he asserted himself into ‘best player in the world’ discussions.
Things could have gone differently if not for Haliburton’s unfortunate Achilles injury in Game 7, but the Pacers star only had positive things to say about his rival.
He explained to Pat McAfee what Gilgeous-Alexander does “at an elite level,” which makes him so difficult to stop.
“He gets paint touches at an elite level,” Haliburton said. “He does a great job of using… he’s not like this big, bulky guy, but he does a great job of getting to his spots.
“He can score on all three levels. He’s the MVP for a reason. The season he put together was one of the greatest seasons in NBA history.”
Besides Haliburton’s injury, which will probably keep him out for the entire 2025-26 season, the Pacers have another problem to deal with.
Starting center Myles Turner decided to leave the Pacers to join Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Milwaukee Bucks.
Haliburton “wished him the best” with the Bucks, even though it has made the Pacers’ chances of returning to the Finals less likely.
“Obviously, since I’ve gotten here and just for the last 10 years, Myles’ name has been synonymous with our organization.
“He’s done a lot here, and I think that people have really taken a liking to Myles. He’s done some great things and been a part of some great groups, but at the end of the day, it’s a business.
“He’s got to do what’s best for him, and I wish him the best moving forward. My focus is now on the guys we have here and getting better here. I wish him the best moving forward.”
