The Pacers weren’t certain if they might have Tyrese Haliburton for Recreation 6 attributable to a strained proper calf, however there aren’t any worries heading into Sunday’s sequence finale at Oklahoma Metropolis, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton continues to be getting around-the-clock remedy on the calf, however he vowed at Saturday’s media session that he’ll be within the lineup.
“I’m just about in the identical standpoint I used to be earlier than Recreation 6,” Haliburton mentioned. “A little bit stiff, a bit of sore, moderately. Good factor I solely needed to play like 23 minutes (on Thursday). I’ve been capable of get much more remedy and do extra issues. Simply making an attempt to maintain it the most effective I can. However I’ll be able to go for Recreation 7.”
Trainers mentioned Haliburton could have been sidelined for a few weeks if the harm had occurred in the course of the season, however he underwent intensive medical procedures and wore a compression sleeve to stabilize the calf space. He defined that he feels an obligation to his teammates and might’t stand the considered letting them down.
“We’re a bunch of fellows that get alongside very well and try to do one thing particular,” Haliburton mentioned. “I believe the expectations for this group from an exterior viewpoint coming into the 12 months weren’t very excessive. They weren’t very excessive coming into the playoffs. They weren’t very excessive going into the second spherical of the playoffs. They weren’t very excessive going into the third spherical. They weren’t very excessive now. I believe we simply have performed an excellent job of simply staying collectively. There’s not a bunch of fellows I’d moderately go to struggle with. I’m actually excited to compete with these guys in a Recreation 7, and it’s going to be numerous enjoyable.”
There’s extra on the Pacers:
- An odd sight earlier than Recreation 6 was a shot of Pascal Siakam in a crew huddle the place solely the whites of his eyes had been seen (Twitter video hyperlink). Siakam defined what occurred, telling reporters he was in the course of a pre-game prayer, Dopirak provides in a separate story. “I’ve this drawback the place I can’t actually shut my eyes,” he mentioned. “Typically I’ll be considering I’m closing my eyes, however they aren’t actually closed. Even generally having conversations, generally I search for and it seems like I’m considering, and my eyes simply go up.”
- Coach Rick Carlisle flummoxed the Thunder in Recreation 6 by scaling again the stress protection he had used all through the sequence, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. As an alternative of attacking OKC’s ball-handlers, the Pacers waited to lure till they crossed mid-court, minimizing their possibilities of creating simple baskets.
- The Pacers could not have the star energy of a standard champion, however they’ve been capable of work collectively to succeed in the brink of an NBA title, observes James Boyd of The Athletic. From their stars to the top of their bench, the Pacers are loaded with gamers who’ve been pressured to show themselves repeatedly. “We’ve got a bunch of people who in all probability wasn’t given something,” Siakam mentioned. “We’re in a scenario the place, on the finish of the day, no person actually cares to see us win.”
