Tyrese Haliburton went into Game 7 of the NBA Finals injured – and after just seven minutes, he was down on the floor with what appeared to be an even more serious injury. The 25-year-old has suffered an Achilles tendon injury.
A cry of “No” could be heard from his lips as Tyrese Haliburton lay face down on the floor, hammering his fist on the court in frustration. The Indiana Pacers star had already gone into the decisive Game 7 of the NBA Finals nursing a calf strain – and now, after just over seven minutes, he had suffered what appeared to be an even worse injury.
What had happened? During a drive toward the zone, as Haliburton tried to push off with his injured right leg, the 25-year-old fell to the ground in obvious pain. Shortly afterward, he limped off the court in tears, supported by his teammates. Haliburton’s father confirmed to ESPN shortly afterward that he had suffered an Achilles tendon injury, with a precise diagnosis still pending.
Haliburton had already suffered a calf strain in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series, but he played 23 minutes in Game 6 and led his team to victory despite being injured. The guard was determined to play in the decisive game as well. “This is the Finals. I’ve worked my whole life to be here, and I want to help my teammates. If I can walk, I want to play,“ he said after Game 5.
Turner on Haliburton’s injury: ”It breaks my heart.”
After the ugly scenes in Game 7, numerous NBA stars took to social media to express their concern for Haliburton’s obviously serious injury. LeBron James simply responded with a strong expletive on his X account, while Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks wrote: “You never want to see something like that.”
Haliburton’s teammate Myles Turner said in an interview with broadcaster ESPN during the game: “It breaks my heart. But we’re going to do everything we can to give him this win.” It was not to be. Without Haliburton, Indiana lost momentum in the second half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, with Oklahoma City ultimately winning 103-91 to be crowned champions.
The two-time All-Star was the driving force behind the Pacers’ run to the Finals this season. In the playoffs, he averaged 17.7 points, 9.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game on 46.1 percent shooting from the field. In Game 1 of the Finals, he was once again the celebrated hero with his game-winning shot in the final seconds.