Image Source: X
[Saba Sports News] Tyrese Haliburton surprisingly came up short in the race for Eastern Conference Finals MVP, losing out in an extremely close vote.
The Indiana Pacers punched their ticket to their first NBA Finals since 2000 with a 125-108 win over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday.
Haliburton delivered a strong performance, posting 21 points, six rebounds, and 13 assists in the series-clinching victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Despite his efforts, it was teammate Pascal Siakam who took home the Larry Bird ECF MVP trophy. Siakam led the Pacers with 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting in Game 6, and the NBA revealed the voting margin was razor-thin: five of the nine media members picked Siakam, while the remaining four — including Reggie Miller — voted for Haliburton.
Both players had compelling cases. Haliburton averaged 21.0 points and 10.5 assists in the series, including a 32-point triple-double masterpiece in Game 4 and a clutch Game 1 performance. Siakam, meanwhile, was the steadier scorer, averaging 24.8 points across the six games.
While Haliburton may have been snubbed, he likely doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight with Siakam — a former NBA champion who will be an invaluable asset as Indiana prepares for the Finals showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder.