Tyrese Haliburton delivered yet another big performance for his Indiana Pacers in the playoffs, and he thinks there is something specific to explain it.
Haliburton was debuting his signature shoe during Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City on Thursday night. He was wearing the “Hibiscus” Puma Hali 1, which is his first signature shoe.
Now THAT is a Signature Shoe debut.@TyHaliburton22 hits the Finals Game 1 game winner in the “Hibiscus” Puma Hali 1. https://t.co/N7id5lDNfd pic.twitter.com/YJaQJ9s8i3
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) June 6, 2025
Haliburton couldn’t have made a bigger statement while wearing those shoes. He went 6/13 for 14 points with 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Most importantly, he made the winning shot with 0.3 seconds left to give his Pacers a comeback win.
Haliburton’s explanation for his winning shot was clear.
“It’s gotta be the shoooeeesss (sic),” Haliburton wrote on X after the game.
It’s gotta be the shoooeeesss
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 6, 2025
Haliburton was so proud of his big game in his new shoes that he brought them to the podium for his postgame appearance with the media. He credited them as the “secret sauce” for the win.
Heck of a debut for Tyrese Haliburton in his Puma Hali 1’s today in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 6, 2025
He brought these to the game, joked and called these the secret sauce for the win today. pic.twitter.com/Ai3XgXybOL
If you made a winning shot in the playoffs like he did on the day you debut your signature shoe, you’d be parading them around everywhere too. What a night for Haliburton and his shoes.
