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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)— Tyrese Haliburton, guard for the Indiana Pacers, experienced discomfort in his lower right leg after a troublesome fall during the first quarter and had to step out of Game 5 of the NBA Finals momentarily for medical attention.
Despite this, he continued to play, but it was apparent he was not at his best.
To his credit, Haliburton persevered through 34 minutes on the court, mostly taking on the role of a facilitating decoy in the second half, rarely looking for his own shot. He concluded the game with four points, all from free throws, as the Pacers fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-109 on Monday night, placing them at a 3-2 disadvantage in the series.
“If I can walk, I’m going to play,” Haliburton stated.
For the first time in 36 playoff games, Haliburton ended the first half without scoring. His initial points came from a pair of free throws with 7:07 remaining in the third quarter. He recorded seven rebounds and six assists but was unable to make a basket, finishing the game shooting 0-for-6 from the field.
Now, the challenge of securing an NBA championship has intensified for the Pacers, who find themselves down, with their key player struggling physically.
“At halftime, we were worried, but he insisted on continuing,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle remarked. “I thought he did a lot of positive things in the second half. However, he’s not at full strength. Many players in this series are dealing with their own issues.”
For the first time this postseason, the Pacers are facing a series deficit. They did not encounter this situation against Milwaukee in the first round, Cleveland in the second, or New York in the Eastern Conference finals.
Oklahoma City’s victory in Game 5 marked the first occasion Indiana—who had enjoyed a ten-game winning streak following a loss leading into Monday—has lost two consecutive games since mid-March.
The stakes are now clear: the Pacers must secure a victory at home on Thursday to extend the series to Game 7 and then win in Oklahoma City on Sunday night if they hope to claim their first NBA title.
“It’s the Finals, man,” Haliburton expressed. “I’ve dedicated my entire life to reach this point, and I want to compete and support my teammates however I can. … Not playing here is not an option for me.”
Haliburton participated in 10 minutes and 4 seconds of the first quarter on Monday before heading to the locker room, returning with a bandage on his lower leg. He re-entered the game with 8:27 left in the first half.
This injury has been a recurring issue throughout the series. Following Game 2, Haliburton was seen limping and remarked before Game 3 that there wasn’t much to elaborate on, referring to it as “just a lower leg thing.”
“He’s a warrior,” said Pascal Siakam, a forward for the Pacers. “He’s been our foundation all year long. He’s a significant reason for our success. I’m not sure what exactly is wrong, but I know he’s battling through it and will give everything he has.”
