Everyone already knows how good Tyrese Haliburton is. He's only continued to show that in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, as his superstar play has the Indiana Pacers one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. After his Game 4 performance in the Pacers' win over the New York Knicks, he did something that puts him in the same company as Utah Jazz legend John Stockton.
Haliburton finished the game with 15 assists and zero turnovers. This is not the first time he's posted this stat line; it's the 11th time he's done it. That puts him two behind Chris Paul and three behind Stockton.
Both Paul and Stockton are considered among the best point guards to ever play in the NBA. Over the course of two decades, they managed to put up a high number of those rare statlines that no point guard has ever crossed. That was until Haliburton came into the picture, as he is already extremely close to topping them in only half a decade.
Yeah, Haliburton is good.
Statistics like these show just that, but they also harp on something that should be harped on for decades on end.
John Stockton truly set the bar for point guards
Stockton is among the rare players in Jazz and NBA history who truly showed consistent excellence from beginning to end. From 1984 to 2003, he always gave the Jazz his all, which is why he has so many records for the Jazz franchise and the NBA itself.
That's why he's regularly considered among the best players who never won an NBA title and why the Jazz were considered a title contender for well over a decade with him on the team. His playmaking, ball control, and consistency set the standard for the point guards that came after him.
This isn't the first time a player has approached a record set by Stockton. It was a pretty big deal for the Jazz this season that Isaiah Collier broke the Jazz rookie record for most assists by a rookie in franchise history, which was previously held by, you guessed it, Stockton.
It's why many are optimistic about Collier's long-term prospects as a player. No matter what record one beats, if that record is held by someone like Stockton, that means it was noteworthy. Breaking the record for most assists by a Jazz rookie is probably among the easiest records held by Stockton to beat, but it's impressive nonetheless. At the very least, it shouldn't be swept under the rug.
If a player has been put in the same company as Stockton, then you know that player is special. That's the legacy he left behind. When fans think of players who set the example of NBA excellence, they typically think of Michael Jordan or LeBron James, and for good reason.
However, if a player comes close, ties or beats a record set by Stockton, you know that's a player that the NBA should take notice of.