How long does calf tightness last? Tyrese Haliburton’s injury recovery timeline explored 

Tyrese Haliburton was a no-show for the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals as he suffered from calf tightness early in the game. The injury is believed to have developed into a right calf strain, according to a report by ESPN on Tuesday.

Just like for most of Game 5 against the OKC Thunder, Haliburton is expected to be limited in Game 6 at Indianapolis as the Pacers face a do-or-die situation on their home court. This is because calf tightness or strains usually heal up in a few days to weeks, depending on the severity.

Trending

According to the Cleveland Clinic, playing through calf tightness and strains makes one susceptible to bigger strains or more serious injuries in the leg.

Meanwhile, according to Brian Sutterer, a sports doctor, Haliburton may need a few more days to be able to play at 100% in the NBA Finals, which the Pacers have no luxury of.

“A calf muscle strain is an actual tear of muscle fibers. That’s not something that is going to heal in just a couple of days of rest. If you continue to play, continue to push off, you continue to tear those fibers, never giving it the chance to scar in then transition to new muscle fibers,” Sutterer said in his YouTube video on Haliburton’s injury.

(from 5:56 mark onwards)

He believes Haliburton will still play in Game 6 on Thursday but warned that the injury could get worse.

“Worse case scenario (is) he got a high-grade injury then he tries to go then makes it worse. You’re at the end of the season anyway and he has time to recover for next season…I fully expect him to go,” he added.

Haliburton shot 0-for-6 from the field and finished with just four points in Game 5 as the Pacers went down 3-2 in the NBA finals.

Tyrese Haliburton readies for Game 6

Despite the injury, Tyrese Haliburton has insisted that he will play in Game 6 at home. Talking after their Game 5 loss, Haliburton believed it was right to play in the crucial Finals games:

“It’s the Finals, man. It’s the NBA Finals. I’ve worked my whole life to be here, and I want to be out there to compete. Gotta be ready to go for Game 6.”

A loss would end the Pacers’ improbable playoff run this season, led by Haliburton. The Pacers are 1-1 in the series when playing at home.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Rob Andrew Lo

Rob Andrew Lo is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience in the field. Rob studied journalism at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines and his love for sports made this an obvious career to pursue.

Rob's favorite team is the Oklahoma City Thunder. He grew up watching Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and his admiration for them left not only a lasting impression but solidified his fandom.

When not working, Rob loves to play basketball. If he isn't watching or writing about basketball, he can probably be found watching pro wrestling.

Know More