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OKLAHOMA CITY— After eight months and 105 games, the Indiana Pacers’ aspirations for the 2025 NBA championship were suddenly reliant on the strength of Tyrese Haliburton’s delicate right calf.
Unfortunately, that burden proved too heavy to bear. The Pacers’ ambitions effectively ended when Haliburton, already dealing with soreness, was sidelined with an injury just five minutes into the first quarter of Game 7 of the Finals on Sunday night at Paycom Center.
With the score tied at 16-16 when their point guard and leader succumbed to injury, Indiana subsequently fell behind, outscored by 87-75, and ultimately lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 103-91.
This victory marked Oklahoma City’s first NBA championship in the 17 years since the franchise relocated. Meanwhile, the Pacers were vying for their first title since their integration into the league from the American Basketball Association in 1976.
Haliburton’s injury occurred after what appeared to be an encouraging start for him. He had already connected on three 3-pointers, creating palpable tension among the lively OKC fans. He seemed to be in command on the left wing when attempting to begin a play against defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but then unexpectedly collapsed forward, causing him to land on the floor.
Realizing immediately that his game was over, Haliburton pounded the floor in frustration, crying out “No! No!” as teammates rushed to his side, and even Gilgeous-Alexander approached to check on his competitor.
“The news about Tyrese hit us hard,” remarked Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. “But he will make a return. I don’t have specific medical details, but I believe he’ll recover fully in due time.”
Gilgeous-Alexander added, “I can’t imagine facing the biggest game of my life and having something like that happen. It’s just not fair. I felt terrible for him and asked if he was alright … Clearly, he wasn’t.”
Despite his unfortunate injury in Game 7, Tyrese Haliburton exemplified how players in the modern NBA can find different paths to success.
Assisted back to the visitors’ locker room without placing any weight on his injured leg, the Pacers only described it as a “right lower leg injury,” confirming he would not return to play.
The concern looms, however, that an MRI scheduled for Monday may confirm a torn Achilles tendon. If that is the case, it would mark the third such injury of the NBA postseason, following Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round versus Indiana and Jayson Tatum of Boston during the semifinals against New York. Back in the 2019 Finals, Kevin Durant of Golden State also suffered an Achilles tear against Toronto.
This type of injury is incredibly severe for an athlete, often requiring extensive rehabilitation and potentially sidelining a player for an entire season post-surgery.
Haliburton had experienced ankle discomfort after Game 2 of the series and suffered what was reported as a strain in Game 5 while executing a maneuver similar to the one that caused his latest injury. The Pacers and the media closely monitored his status leading up to Game 6, where he was cleared to play just a few hours before kickoff.
The outlook seemed promising after Indiana decisively defeated OKC to force Game 7. Haliburton performed admirably, scoring 14 points and logging only 23 minutes on the floor. Another 72 hours of treatment suggested he would be in better condition, although Carlisle emphasized the need for constant monitoring throughout the final game.
“There will be great communication and eye contact,” Carlisle said. “We’ll prioritize what’s best for both him and the team.”
However, there wasn’t much time for anything after Haliburton’s injury; he lasted barely a quarter. The onus then fell on the rest of the Pacers to maintain their composure as best they could.
“When it happened, many of us were rattled,” said backup point guard T.J. McConnell. “It’s difficult to push through and focus when you see a teammate go down like that early in the game.
“When we returned at halftime, we all embraced him, reaffirming our support during his rehabilitation journey.”
In a nod to philosopher Immanuel Kant, the Pacers illustrated what it means to be champions, even in defeat.
It wouldn’t be just to credit the Thunder’s victory solely to Haliburton’s injury. Indiana entered the Finals as the underdog and a No. 4 seed facing the NBA’s top team, and they were perceived as an underdog once more heading into Game 7.
Nonetheless, losing their most valuable player—an All-NBA Third Team member for the second consecutive year and pivotal in many remarkable comebacks this postseason—with 43 minutes still to play posed an insurmountable challenge. Indiana managed to hold a narrow halftime lead of 48-47, but it felt inevitable that their momentum would wane, and the situation would deteriorate.
That downturn occurred at the start of the second half. The Thunder opened with a 9-3 run after the break, and another 9-0 surge pushed their advantage to 65-56. Had McConnell not scored 10 consecutive points at a crucial moment, OKC would have likely established a more significant lead even sooner.
Ultimately, the champions surged ahead by double digits before the quarter concluded, extending their lead to 22 points at 90-68 a few minutes into the final period.
Haliburton remained supportive of his teammates from the sidelines, cheering them on until the end and greeting them with crutches in the locker room afterward.
“That’s just Ty,” McConnell noted. “For him to go down like that and still have the spirit to cheer us on speaks volumes about his character. … He truly is one of the finest individuals I’ve encountered.”
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Steve Aschburner has covered the NBA since 1980. You can reach him via email here, view his archive here, and follow him on X.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
