Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best players in the NBA, and it's hard to argue that there are many more players who impact their team's chances the way he does.
From 2023-25, the Pacers not only returned to the playoffs in large part because of Haliburton, but they made deep postseason runs and almost won the NBA Finals. Since then, though, Haliburton has missed the vast majority of time, and the team has struggled to win games as a result.
If it feels like the Pacers are a completely different team without Haliburton, that's because they are. Any time Haliburton misses a game for Indiana, the Pacers' chances at winning that contest are cut dramatically as they've had issues adjusting to fill the point guard's role.
Therefore, it is crucial that Haliburton gets back and is able to once again lead the team in a crowded Eastern Conference. Here's just how much the Pacers miss Haliburton.
Pacers record without Tyrese Haliburton
Since the Pacers acquired Tyrese Haliburton in 2022, the point guard has been the heart and soul of the team. That also means that when Haliburton doesn't play, the Pacers have greatly missed him in the lineup.
In 339 possible games since the Haliburton trade went down, Indiana's record with Haliburton rivals the best teams in the NBA, while their record without him rivals the worst. The Pacers are 116-86 when Haliburton plays, and they are just 38-99 in games that he doesn't play.
Pacers record in the last 4+ seasons: When Haliburton plays: 116-86 When Haliburton is out: 38-99
— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) November 10, 2026Based on those records, here's a breakdown of what kind of team the Pacers are without Haliburton.
| With Haliburton | Without Haliburton | |
| Record | 116-86 | 38-99 |
| Winning percentage | 57.4% | 27.7% |
| 82-game pace | 47 | 23 |
Haliburton has been so valuable ot the Pacers since arriving in Indiana that his absence has cut the team's win total essentially in half. The Pacers go from an Eastern Conference contender to a bottom-feeder when Haliburton can't play, which has been a major problem over the last two seasons.
Any chance for the Pacers to return to the playoffs requires Haliburton to get healthy and find his groove after missing all of last year and part of this year. In 11 games to begin this season alone, the Pacers were 2-2 when Haliburton played in the first four games, but have since gone 1-6 as the guard deals with a hamstring injury.
Haliburton's importance was especially evident during the 2025 NBA playoffs, when he brought the Pacers within a game of winning the NBA Finals. Since he tore his Achilles in Game 7, though, Indiana hasn't been the same despite many of the key contributors from that teams sticking around.
Haliburton should be back soon from his hamstring injury, and it's clear that Indiana needs him healthy.
