Eleven days ago, long before he was referred to as a “wannabe, fake All-Star,” Tyrese Haliburton was locked up by the Miami Heat, tallying just one point in what was the lowest scoring game between any two teams this season. More so than the numbers, however, what summarized that particular contest is this possession — a rare sighting not only of Haliburton operating away from the ball, but also of Haliburton operating as the screener.
For a player who ranks second in touches per game and sixth in time of possession, it was a telling sign of the coverage from the entire game, which saw him blanketed by Caleb Martin’s full-court pressure and stymied by Bam Adebayo switching out in the half-court.