Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton named NBA All -Star reserve

Just before the start of the Pacers' game against the Lakers on Thursday night, the point guard was selected as a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. The starting lineup was revealed last week and was determined by a combination of player, media, and fan vote. The NBA's 30 head coaches vote to choose the reserves.Haliburton played again on Thursday night after missing 10 games due to injuries sustained on January 11 during a defeat to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, including a left elbow sprain and a left knee bone contusion. The Pacers lost 10 of 11 games while he was out, which in a way highlighted his importance. Prior to his injury, the Pacers were in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-18. They now stand at 24-28 and are virtually tied for tenth, which equals the last berth in the play-in round. Haliburton led the Pacers in scoring (20.2 points per game) and assists (10.2 per game), respectively, heading into Thursday's play. With 1.8 steals per game, he is also fourth in the NBA per match. With 118 3-pointers, he shoots 39.9% from beyond the arc and 48.8% overall. He also makes 88.0% of his free throws. With 4.0 per game, he is seventh on the Pacers in rebounding.

On Tuesday, a question about Haliburton's thoughts on being chosen an All-Star was posed.It would mean a great deal, said Haliburton. "I believe I've had a great year. Obviously, being an All-Star is something I've always wanted to do. I believe I've taken the necessary steps to make it happen. I have no control over that choice. I'm incredibly excited and can't wait if it occurs, but if not, we'll go on.Since Domantas Sabonis in 2020–21, Haliburton is the first Pacer to be chosen an All-Star. Haliburton was obtained from the Kings as part of the exchange that moved Sabonis to Sacramento in February of last year.Alongside Haliburton, Joel Embiid of Philadelphia, DeMar DeRozan of Chicago, Jrue Holiday of Milwaukee, Jaylen Brown of Boston, Bam Adebayo of Miami, and Julius Randle of the Knicks made up the Eastern Conference reserves. The East's starting for the All-Star game were Kyrie Irving of Brooklyn, Donovan Mitchell of Cleveland, Jayson Tatum of Boston, Kevin Durant of Brooklyn, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee.