After months of drama and dreams, the NBA Finals are here! One team has been one of the favorites all season long. On the other hand, the other is hoping their postseason momentum leads them to the Larry O’Brien Trophy this season. Of Course, the OKC Thunder have been destined to be here after finishing the regular season with 68 wins. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers have defied all odds to be in this season’s NBA Finals. It’s a classic David vs. Goliath story. While the two teams have totally opposite identities, they share one huge similarity. Can you guess what it is?
Yes, it’s their superstar point guards. Both teams rely on their point guards when the going gets tough. For the Thunder, that role is played by none other than this season’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. As for the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton has been reborn in the postseason with a Reggie Miller attitude, leading Indiana’s resurgence in the playoffs. The matchup of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton will be a battle within the battle on the court. In fact, whoever edges the other in the game could become the X-Factor for their team.
So, which point guard has got what it takes to lead his team to glory?
Who has the better NBA Playoffs stats: Tyrese Haliburton or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
The Indiana Pacers are set to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA Championship. Amid this best-of-seven series, all eyes will be on one key duel: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton. Both players have completely different play styles, with SGA attacking the rim and being the team’s primary ball-handler, while Haliburton takes a more selfless play-making role. This can be seen through their scoring averages in the postseason. Shai has been averaging an astonishing 29.8 points per game, while Tyrese averages 18.8 points with nine double-doubles.
Mar 12, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket beside Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
However, the tables turn when it comes to distribution and turnovers. Haliburton, who’s known for his elite passing, has been averaging 9.8 assists and just 1.9 turnovers in the playoffs. This is much better than SGA’s 6.9 assists and 2.3 turnovers per game in the postseason. So, it’s apparent that both point guards have their own unique style of play. But both are equally important pieces for their teams. We’ve all seen Haliburton’s ability to not turn the ball over; it was on display against the Knicks, where in Game 4 he completed a triple-double without a single turnover. Meanwhile, SGA dropped several big scores in the postseason, including a 40-bomb in Game 4 against the Timberwolves.
By the looks of it, both guards seem to have their own strongholds in the game. But this makes to question the most important stat, who’s the more clutch player between SGA and Haliburton?
Which player is more clutch in the NBA Playoffs: Haliburton or SGA?
There have been several times when both teams have found themselves trailing with just a few minutes or even seconds left on the clock. It’s moments like these where heroes are born. Tyrese Haliburton did just that in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against New York, when he drilled a long-range shot in the final seconds to eventually lead his team to a victory. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that he did that against the more clutch player of the year, Jalen Brunson, on the other end.
The Pacers’ star, who has been carrying an impressive average this postseason. Haliburton has been averaging 18.8 points, along with 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds across 16 playoff games. However, these stats look even more impressive when you take into account the 25-year-old’s clutch field goal percentage: 46.7%. Tyrese Haliburton has been Indiana’s lethal weapon in the waning moments of the game, especially in the playoffs. But his counterpart, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, isn’t far off. He has the second-best field goal percentage, right behind the Pacers star.
The OKC point guard’s clutch FG stands at 42.1%. Moreover, he does that while averaging 29.8 points, with 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists. That’s quite impressive! So, there’s not much to pick apart even in this category, with both superstars having ice injected in their veins. But, how do they impact their teams?
How do Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander impact their teams in the NBA Finals?
If you were to ask any soul before the playoffs began if they’d be seeing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton leading their teams to the NBA Finals, they’d probably laugh it off. “It’s been a roller coaster,” SGA said. “I had nights where I thought I wasn’t good at basketball, had nights where I thought I was the best player in the world before I was. It’s been ups and downs. My mentality to try to stay level through it all really helped me. Once I figured that out, I really saw jumps in my game.” Indeed, the Thunder have had their share of criticism along the way. Many did not have this young OKC team in their favorites.
May 11, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) dribbles the ball during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
However, SGA, the face of this team, has made sure he and his teammates get the respect they deserve. Haliburton has also travelled a similar road to NBA stardom. The 25-year-old was voted the most overrated player in the league. Now he’s the favorite son of Indiana. Both players have immense impacts on their teams while on the court. To put it into perspective, Gilgeous-Alexander has a plus-minus of a positive 158 in this season’s playoffs. Meanwhile, Haliburton’s contribution is also huge for the Pacers, with him posting a plus-minus of a positive 113. This goes to show how important these two are to their respective teams.
This is also seen through their high usage rates in the postseason. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a usage percentage of 32.1 in the playoffs, whereas Tyrese Haliburton’s stands at 23.1 percent. It’s quite obvious that the OKC star sees the ball more often and for much longer than Haliburton. But why? Well, it’s mostly because SGA takes up a more aggressive scoring role while being the team’s main ball handler. Meanwhile, Indiana relies on different ways of scoring buckets. So, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top of this battle as both teams eye their maiden NBA Championship.
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