On May 5, the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals officially kicked off, with the Indiana Pacers defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-112 away from home to win the first game of the series. The biggest contributor to the victory was Tyrese Haliburton, who was questioned as the "most overrated player" in the pre-match controversy.

Facing the Cavaliers, who ranked first in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, Haliburton responded with a strong performance. He played 36 minutes, scored 22 points on 9 of 15 shots , and also had 13 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks. He played well on both offense and defense, and his plus-minus value was the highest in the game at +11 .

At the beginning of the game, the Cavaliers took the lead with their home court momentum, but Haliburton quickly organized a counterattack and assisted his teammates to make consecutive counterattacks and outside shots in the first quarter. As the game progressed, he not only created opportunities through pick-and-rolls and breakthroughs, but also completed personal finishes many times at critical moments to maintain control of the game rhythm.

What is quite dramatic is that not long ago, in an anonymous player survey published by The Athletic , Haliburton was voted as one of the " most overrated players in the league . " In response, Haliburton did not make any verbal response, but only shattered the doubts with a nearly perfect playoff performance.

" Who said I was the most overrated? " This is what he said in a post-match interview when he responded to the media's ridicule with a smile. Although the tone was relaxed, the confidence and strength behind it cannot be ignored.

Six players of the Pacers scored in double figures, showing a strong team offensive ability, and Haliburton is undoubtedly the engine of this system. Statistics show that when he is on the court, the Pacers score as high as 128 points per 100 possessions, which is much higher than the season average.

The Pacers currently lead the Cavaliers 1-0 , and the next game will continue in two days. For Haliburton, this victory is not only a breakthrough in the playoffs, but also the best response to doubts.