Stephen A. says ‘Tyrese Haliburton is NOT a superstar’ 👀 | First Take

Stephen A. says ‘Tyrese Haliburton is NOT a superstar’ 👀 | First Take

Should the Knicks use the same starting lineup they used in game three, their first one of the series, starting Mitchell Robinson over Josh Hart? So, entering game three, the Knicks usual starting lineup, Brunson Bridges, and Anobi Hart in Towns have been outscored by 50 points this postseason, which was the worst for any fiveman lineup in the 2025 playoffs. All right, Marcus, should the Knicks go with that same starting lineup at game three? Initially, I’m going to say no because I feel like it it hampers Towns from from being offensively aggressive and getting it in different spots, right? If he get the switch, he can’t get down low because he’s going to have Miles Turning and uh Mitch Robinson will help on a double team or just, you know, just beat the body there, right? But it’s twofold. If Tibs went back and they had a walkth through or practice and and they showed towns different spots that he could be effective in while uh big uh Mitch Robinson is in the game, then I I can I can almost think about it. But I just feel like he clogs the lane up. I feel like uh Mitch Robinson brings a ton of energy off the bench. The same thing that um all that that he’s been doing throughout the playoffs. So for me, I feel like it’s more important to get Towns uh going early than starting Mitchell Robinson. Keith, I I I gotta agree with you on that one because I just think and and I don’t think more so it comes the the Towns thing. I just think more Mitchell Robinson is more of a impact when you don’t start him and you bring him off the bench, right? He played the entire first quarter and and quite frankly, it gassed him out for the rest of the game. And I think that’s the that’s the key because they couldn’t stop anybody until the fourth quarter until start going off. So me, I’m going to take a different approach. I think Mitchell Robinson purposes, I think he’s more impactful when you bring him off the bench and playing Miss Spurs instead of playing him the entire first first quarter. Perk, here’s the deal, y’all. Mitchell Robinson, I got a I got a I got a I got a stat in front of me right now where it talks about how Mitchell Robinson by quarter in the conference finals in the first quarter is 22 minutes, 10 points, 10 rebounds. He’s been a force over the last three quarters in this series. That’s totaled 57 minutes. He’s had four points and a total of 57 minutes from quarters 2 through four. A total of four points and 13 rebounds. So essentially, it’s giving the impression that at least statistically he somewhat disappears uh after the first quarter. He comes out like a gang buster ready to handle his business and then he fades. I still think his presence is important. I think he’s formidable because of his size in the post, what have you. I just don’t know how much you can trust or rely upon him, you know, in in in terms of of of being able to do what’s necessary in order to help this team become victorious. I like him out there, me personally, and I don’t really have much of a problem with him in the starting lineup trying something new because that as long as that doesn’t compromise the minutes of a Josh Hart and others, I’m good with it. I think he got to stay with it. I think he got to stay with it. Matter of fact, he should stay with it. Here’s why. because he’s not going to take Carl Anthony Towns or Jaylen Brunson out of the starting lineup. And here’s why I say that. Both of those guys are defensive liabilities. So, what Tibs is trying to do, he’s trying to find a way to cover up for what they lack defensively. Because to be honest, Muel Bridges, you just pointed out the stats before we went to break. He hasn’t been that guy that they want him to be for as being a stopper on the wing. OG Anobi has been inconsistent. So, you need to try to find something. And I think what Tibs is looking at from a offensive standpoint, he said, “Hey, if Towns and Rudy Gobert had success playing alongside one another, then why can’t Mitchell Robinson and and and and Carl Anthony Towns have success offensively as well, even if even if for even if it’s for a small stint, this what I will say. I would only start him for the first half now that you just brought that up. coming into the second half. I might have to look into starting a Landry Shamut or a right. You know why? Because those guys are picking up 94 feet. That was the difference in the game, right? They’re doing what N Smith was doing to Brunson. Now they’re doing that to Tyrese Hallebertton and all of a sudden the pace has slowed down. We heard Hallebertton talk about the pace of the the pace. The pace. The pace. Well, you could push the pace. Hold on. Hold on. Let me take it a step further since you did bring up receipts because it’s very very important receipts. Those brothers right there in studio with Molly Hallebert and Superstar. Remember when they saying that yesterday? Remember they saying that yesterday? So in other words, picking him being having him picked up 90. Yes, they did. Yes, they did. Yes, they did. Yes, they did. Yes, they did. Hallebertton being a Hallebertton being a superstar, right? I’m like, yo, he’s a damn good player. He’s not overrated. The brother can ball again, but he ain’t a superstar. We didn’t tell the whole story. 94T young superstar. It could it could be important. What’s up, Stephen? We We didn’t give the full context. We didn’t tell the whole story. Out of there, right? It wasn’t just superstar. It was young superstar. So, we weren’t putting away like the LeBron and the Steps and the Katies. We were We were just talking about Youngsters. My bad. My bad. Miley, I want to ask the twins something. I want to ask the twins something because I already asked you this and I feel and I was guilty of this. I think we’re throwing around the word superstar too loosely. Yes, I do. Like too it’s we’re anointing guys as being superstars that are really not superstars, right? Like yes, we know Braun and Steph, they’re mega stars. It’s it’s the difference, right? And then we could start looking at everybody else. Anthony Edwards, right? Own signature shoe commercials, putting up big numbers, winning games. I think when we start to think about guys that are superstars, we have to start really thinking about that before we just anoint them as quote unquote being a superstar. And I’m saying that for myself as well, but I don’t believe Tyrese Hallebertton is a superstar. Or older brother. Hey, uh I think I think that you know obviously you have your older players, your superstar, but it’s just the it’s just the era that we in like who is a superstar? Who is a young superstar? Who can you anoint that? These are the players that we are that we have in the league that we have to allstar superstar. I mean, obviously, they’re not on the level of LeBron and the Lucas and and those guys, but they fall right under when you talk about young superstars, the young Ant-Mans, the SGAAS, those are the young superstars that’s up and coming league. And I think Hollandberg falls in that category like like we got to find a superstar. I think it’s just we just so used to seeing like saying superstar is athletic, you know, in a bigger market. Like what Holland is is doing is similar to what Chris Paul’s doing. Like we said Chris Paul was a superstar, right? Chris Paul was the ultimate general and that what made him the superstar. He made guys better. He’s won games. That’s what made him a superstar, right? Like he wasn’t the most athletic. He did he made big shots down the clutch. It’s kind of walking in that same guy that can move the ball, that can make by brother. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Marcus, [Applause] Marcus, here’s the deal, man. Do you realize that when you bring up CP3, you’re talking about a top six, top seven point guard in history? Do you realize? I do. I do. But we haven’t had any other That’s what we’re talking about. Yeah. We we we we’re talk we’re talking about uh we’re talking about somebody that’s been nicknamed a point guard for crying out loud. Not a point guard, but point guard. Okay. All right. A floor general extraordinaire. Wherever he goes, you make your team better. I mean, of all the great great point guards in NBA history, we’re talking about this dude. Top six, top seven, arguably in the top five. the Gary Payton, the Isaiah Thomas’s, the Jason Kids of the world, the Urban Magic Johnson’s, the John Stockman’s of the world, people like that. That’s what you’re talking about. You’re not talking about that with somebody like Hallebertton. Certainly not yet. So, I’m just saying to you, the brother can ball. The brother can ball. No doubt about it. But when you talk, let me answer the question about the superstar. How about you being the number one option? I was just about to say and everybody in your face and game planning around you every day and every day for the most part you answer the call. Last three years that last three years Hollandberg besides this year when they was better and he came off the ball last three years he’s averaging 20 and 10. What is that? Last year he was in in the Eastern Conference in Eastern Conference finals. We said who? James over James. The numbers say it the way his trajectory of his career is going is CP3s. Like if we’re talking about if he stay on this same line and continue to get better, he’s going to be in that same category as one of the best point guards to ever play the game because we don’t that that position is starting to be extinct. We don’t really even have point guards right now. Like we don’t have guys that can make the entire team better. We don’t hear about no Aaron Naymith if it’s not for Tyreek Holliber. We don’t hear about Nimhar if it’s not for Tyrese Holland. like he make the entire team go. So when a brother pulling up from 25 that that that’s because of Hallebert one time. One time the confidence that he’s 25 he it’s a confidence he talking about one or two possessions. This the confidence that he instills in the players. You can’t have that system if if there’s no Tyrese Hollberg. There’s no Indiana Pacers getting to the semifinals backto back years without a guy that’s playing like he plays. He makes the entire team go. He makes the entire team go. Kirk, you give the final word and then we and the commercial break need to all get on the same page of what the definition of super I I got you on this, but let me let me ask you this. So, we just got on Anthony Edwards. Okay. For not being aggressive and Anthony Edwards has really he’s labeled a shooting guard, but Anthony Edwards has been the primary ball handler for the Minnesota Timberwolves team this year. One could say he’s actually been the point guard. So the growth in him has to be the decision maker the same as a Tyrese Hallebertton. But again, we don’t hold Tyrese Hallebertton to the same standards that we hold an Anthony Edwards to. You know why? Because we look at Anthony Edwards as a superstar. That’s why. So we not going to sit up here. Anthony Edwards is the face of the league. That’s been his two different two different conversations. Anthony Edwards is arguably the best player in the league in the face of the NBA. We’ve never said we’ve never said that about these these two different positions. I said as the point guard as a point guard that’s growing in this league of the position that’s starting to be extinct because there’s not a lot of point guards no more. There’s not a lot of point guards averaging. What is Trey Young? Trey Young is a good player. He’s a good player. He’s a He’s a good player in this league. He’s a great player. All right. All right. All right. continued two. He was shooting three point. He He wasn’t a point guard. He just started passing the ball. He was shooting 40 point. He was shooting 40. Marcus, I know. I know you ain’t ignoring Molly. Work with me. Marcus, I know you ain’t ignoring Molly. Molly sitting right next to you. You ignoring Molly. What’s wrong with you, man?

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins, Marcus Morris Sr. and Markieff Morris join Molly Qerim to discuss Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers.

0:00 Should the Knicks use the same starting five from Game 3?
4:45 Is Tyrese Haliburton a superstar right now?
8:13 Difference between superstar and No.1 option

✔️ Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube
✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn
✔️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔️ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔️ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV

#ESPN