Tyrese HaliburtonTyrese Haliburton (Photo via Imagn Images)
Tyrese Haliburton had a tough night on the court during the Pacers’ 120-109 defeat to the Thunder in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Battling through a calf injury and facing a barrage of Oklahoma City defenders, Haliburton’s performance was far from expectations.

In Game 5, Haliburton dropped one of the worst NBA Finals performances so far. An X(formerly Twitter) account summed up his stats on that night, and the numbers looked horrible.

“Tyrese Haliburton just became the first player in NBA history to record a Finals game with 0 made FGs, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3+ turnovers, and 3+ fouls in over 30 minutes played. By many metrics, the single worst NBA Finals performance of all time. The truth always prevails,” the tweet read.

The 25-year-old point guard struggled to find his rhythm and ended the game with just four points. His only scores came from the free-throw line. It was a rough outing, marking just the seventh time in his career that he failed to hit a field goal.

 

Scoring has never been Haliburton’s main strength, as he’s known more for his efficiency and playmaking abilities. Still, on this night, he only attempted six shots and connected on none of them.

NBA Fans Trash Tyrese Haliburton For His Game 5 Performance

Tyrese HaliburtonTyrese Haliburton (Photo by Imagn Images)
While Tyrese Haliburton did not back off, he faced stiff competition from OKC’s defensive lineup, which included Lu Dort and Alex Caruso.

In addition to the tough defense, the calf injury clearly impacted Haliburton. He had to take a brief break after landing awkwardly early in the game.

Though even when he returned, he didn’t look quite like himself. However, all of this got unbearable for the NBA fans on social media as they started lashing out.

“Sucks to suck,” a fan commented.

“Dude was never a superstar,” another one wrote.

“Such a bad night,” a third fan added.

“Superstars don’t go bucket-less in a Finals game. TH is not a superstar…,” another fan wrote.

“ough night for the haliban,” another comment read.

As the Pacers gear up for a crucial do-or-die game, fans will be watching closely not only for Haliburton’s health but also for his return to form.

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
+2
View gallery

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence
+2
View gallery

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’