Average 10 assists per game, the league is the first! The most underrated superstar in the NBA is born, you are the MVP in the playoffs

Editor|Lao Kankanqiu

NBA playoffs have started, many players have performed surprisingly. For example, Alexander of the Thunder has scored 30 points + 5 assists 10 times in the playoffs so far, comparable to James and Jordan, leading the Thunder to win the Western Conference championship and reaching the finals for the first time. The MVP is indeed worthy of it. In addition, Alexander has won the scoring champion, MVP, Best Team, All-Star and Western Conference Finals MVP this season. Combined with the current momentum of the Thunder, it is highly likely to have a Grand Slam. Needless to say, Jokic of the Nuggets is unshakable. The most surprising thing about the team's playoffs is Gordon's performance. Facing the Clippers in the first round, he dunked the buzzer-beating dunk, creating NBA history. In the second round, G1 sent another three-pointer and completed a shocking reversal, which was even more impressive. G3's three-pointer tie was also shocking. It can be said that he was still honored even though he lost, and his four-year contract of 130 million was worth the value.

Eastern, the Knicks got Towns in the mid-season trade, who has been criticized for being soft in the playoffs, but this season's playoffs Towns made an unexpected performance. Facing the defending champion Celtics in the second round, he helped the team complete a 20-point reversal, and the Eastern Conference Finals faced the Pacers. When the team fell behind 0-2 and fell into a desperate situation, in the G3 game, Towns scored 20 points and 8 rebounds alone in the final quarter, leading the team to complete a 20-point reversal again, and was named "hard candy" by fans. However, if you want to talk about the most surprising star in the playoffs so far, it must be Halliburton of the Pacers. At the end of the regular season, the well-known sports media "The Athletic" was elected the "most overrated player" of the league in an anonymous vote for active players with a 14.4% vote. At that time, no one was optimistic about the Pacers' playoff journey. However, Halliburton and the Pacers used practical actions to slap all the underestimators. They easily defeated the Bucks led by Antetokounmpo and Lillard 4-1 in the first round, and also defeated the Cavaliers, the number one in the East 4-1 in the second round. They faced the Knicks in the East and once again pushed the opponent into a desperate situation with a devastating attack. It is no exaggeration to say that if the Thunder rushes out of the West is what everyone wants, then the Pacers rush out of the East is definitely the most underrated ‘dark horse’ in the league this season.

And Halliburton is the most underrated player in this dark horse. So far in the playoffs, Halliburton averaged 20 points + 6 rebounds + 10 assists + 1.4 steals per game, but only 1.9 turnovers. Among them, he ranked first in the league in the last 10 assists per game, and he is the well-deserved "assist king" in the playoffs (the Pacers' playoff offensive efficiency was as high as 119.7, ranking first in NBA history when he was on the court). In the G4 match of the Eastern Conference Finals, he scored 30 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists and 0 mistakes, becoming the first player in NBA history to achieve this. So far, Halliburton has sent 15+ assists and 0 mistakes 11 times in his career, second only to Stockton and Paul, ranking third in NBA history.

And this is not the most terrifying thing. According to official NBA data statistics, Halliburton has completed four draws, finals or quasi-final kills in 30 seconds in a single season, setting the first record in NBA history. In addition, Halliburton has completed 3 key goals (draw or win) in 5 seconds, and for the first time in history, a player has achieved 3 times in a single season. It can be said that Halliburton was really born for the big scenes and was definitely a real big-hearted player. When the game entered the countdown stage, he was Indiana's most deadly weapon.

then extended the timeline to the "critical moment" of the entire playoffs (the last 5 minutes, the difference is within 5 points). Halliburton's shooting percentage is as high as 66.7%, and his three-point shooting percentage is even more terrifying 57.1%. With his precise three-point shooting, excellent organizational rhythm, top backcourt vision and big heart attributes in the moment of life and death, Halliburton is using his epic performances in tough battles to issue a declaration to those who are underestimated: He, Halliburton, is the most valuable and most able to define victory in the playoffs so far - the real playoff MVP!

Obviously, Halliburton, who is only 25 years old, once again raised his value to another level in the playoffs this season. In the words of NBA salary expert Bobby Marks, Halliburton successfully made himself a non-sale product for the Pacers.