When a future Hall-of-Famer like Stephen Curry talks, players listen. However, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton wishes he hadn't listened to one specific piece of advice from Curry.
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While the Pacers pulled out a 115-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons in their 2024-25 opener, there were plenty of areas of concern throughout the night. For starters, it took the Pacers outscoring the Pistons 33-19 in the fourth quarter to get the win.
As for Haliburton, he struggled mightily shooting, specifically beyond the arc. The 24-year-old was 6-of-18 from the field but just 1-of-9 from three-point range. After the game, he sarcastically blamed Curry for his performance.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton against the Detroit Pistons.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Haliburton explained that Curry persuaded him to try "pregame naps" since he doesn't nap and doesn't plan to do so again, as Tony East of Pacers on SI detailed.
“[Curry] convinced me to try out pregame naps, because I told him I don't nap. And he told me to try it out and text him after the game…" Haliburton said. "So he'll be getting a text from me shortly. No more pregame naps for Tyrese.”
Haliburton and Curry were on Team USA together during the 2024 Olympics. The Pacers' budding star spent plenty of time picking Curry's brain from the sound of it, which is great news, even if this bit of advice didn't go as planned for Haliburton.
Fortunately for the Pacers, they still won, and as we've seen from Haliburton throughout his career, he contributed across the board. The two-time NBA All-Star finished with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
Haliburton won't have to think about his poor opening night for long, as the Pacers remain on the road for a 2024 playoff rematch against the New York Knicks on Friday night.
