Pacers level guard Tyrese Haliburton has been recognized with a torn proper Achilles tendon, sources verify to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter hyperlink). Grant Afseth of RG.org, who initially reported that Haliburton suffered an Achilles tear, states that he’s touring to New York on Monday to arrange for surgical procedure to deal with the harm.
Haliburton had been enjoying via a proper calf pressure that he suffered in Sport 5 of the NBA Finals. The harm probably would have sidelined him for a number of weeks had it occurred in the course of the common season, however he was decided to play via it and was capable of end out Sport 5 and compete in Sport 6 with none setbacks.
With simply over 5 minutes left within the first quarter of Sunday’s sport, Haliburton caught a move outdoors the three-point line and made a transfer to drive towards the Thunder’s basket. Nonetheless, his proper leg gave manner as he pushed off and he fell to the courtroom, the place he shouted in frustration, grabbing his proper decrease leg after which pounded his fist towards the ground (Twitter video hyperlink by way of ESPN). He was unable to place any weight on the leg as he was helped off the courtroom.
It instantly seemed prefer it is likely to be an Achilles harm and John Haliburton, Tyrese’ father, confirmed as a lot to ESPN’s Lisa Salters previous to the tip of the primary half.
Whereas the Pacers saved the sport shut for a short time after their start line guard went down, the Thunder started to drag away within the third quarter and held their lead for the remainder of Sport 7 to safe the 2025 NBA championship.
“It’s heart-breaking, man,” Pacers reserve heart Thomas Bryant stated after the sport, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required). “You by no means wish to see that with any of our gamers, particularly with Ty. He’s the guts and soul of our crew. He’s our level guard. He’s our level god, ? All of us gathered round one another when he went down and stated we’re attempting to do that for him, man. And it simply sucks that we couldn’t get that completed.”
“We wanted Ty on the market,” added ahead Obi Toppin. “He’s been good for us all 12 months. For him to go down at the start of the sport like that, it sucked the soul out of us.”
It’s a devastating blow for the Pacers and for Haliburton not simply because it got here throughout Sport 7 of the NBA Finals however as a result of it means the 25-year-old’s availability for the whole 2025/26 season is now very a lot in jeopardy. It usually takes a full calendar 12 months for a participant to return from an Achilles tear.
Haliburton averaged 18.6 factors, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 33.6 minutes per sport in 73 common season begins for Indiana, with a taking pictures line of .473/.388/.851. Whereas that efficiency earned him a spot on the All-NBA third crew, he was much more spectacular in the course of the postseason, making a number of game-winning photographs for the upstart Pacers, who got here inside one win of claiming the primary NBA title in franchise historical past.
Haliburton is the third Jap Convention star to tear an Achilles throughout this postseason, becoming a member of Celtics ahead Jayson Tatum and Bucks guard Damian Lillard, whose harm occurred within the first spherical vs. Indiana. Haliburton can be the third Pacer to maintain that harm this season, as backup facilities James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson each did so within the span of 9 days within the fall.
Haliburton is beneath contract with the Pacers via the 2028/29 season, so the franchise figures to proceed constructing round him as soon as he’s able to return.
