Tyrese Haliburton makes NBA playoff history, joins eight players and four Hall-of-Famers with eye-popping stat

Tyrese Haliburton has quickly cemented himself as one of the best true point guards in the NBA.

The NBA is going through a power transfer at the point guard position. All-time greats like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, and Stephen Curry are slowly stepping aside for a new generation headlined by Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, and Trae Young.

Of course, Tyrese Haliburton is right up there with the best of them, and he’s off to one of the best starts to a postseason in NBA history.

Through four games, the Indiana Pacers are up 3-1 over the Milwaukee Bucks, and Haliburton is averaging a stellar 15.5 points and 12.3 assists. While his shooting (29% from deep) leaves a lot to be desired, he is making everyone around him better.

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesHaliburton joins all-time greats with unique stat

In all four games, Haliburton has recorded a double-double.

In Game 1, he nearly fell short, scoring only ten points, although he quickly bounced back, scoring a series-high 21 points in the next game.

He joins Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, John Stockton, Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, and Deron Williams as the only players to secure double-doubles with points and assists in the first four games of a postseason run.

Johnson, Robertson, Stockton, and Nash are all in the Hall of Fame, and Paul, Westbrook, and Rondo will likely join them soon. 

At only 24 years old, it’s much too early to make any definitive statements about Haliburton’s career legacy, although he should be considered one of the best passers in the NBA, right up there with Young, Doncic, and Nikola Jokic.

HALIBURTON JOINS HISTORIC COMPANY!

Tyrese is one of 9 players EVER to begin the Playoffs with 4 straight PTS/AST double-doubles, joining:

Oscar Robertson
Magic Johnson
John Stockton
Rajon Rondo
Deron Williams
Steve Nash
Chris Paul
Russell Westbrook https://t.co/iZ5R9rlCvR pic.twitter.com/hiTblbNDk5

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 29, 2025

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Haliburton is expected to end the Bucks’ season

With Damian Lillard out for the rest of the year with a torn Achilles, the Pacers won’t need their best perimeter defenders roving the court, meaning Haliburton could very likely lead the team in minutes in Game 5.

In the deciding elimination game, Haliburton is expected to continue to shoulder the playmaking load, where he excels, and with less pressure on defense, should be able to create for himself, as well.

While his playmaking has been nearly flawless through the first four games, his scoring has been disappointing. 15.5 points is nothing to criticize, although he is shooting only 40.7% from the floor, down significantly from his season average of 47.3%.

The Pacers all but have their series against the Bucks wrapped up, and are eight-point favorites heading into the elimination game. However, in a second-round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana will need its star to be at his best.