Tyrese Haliburton Injury Update: Pacers receive another setback as star guard picks up strain in 0 FG game

Tyrese Haliburton has been on the injury list for most of the NBA Finals. However, even though the Indiana Pacers fans had barely recovered from the Game 5 loss, ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped concerning news about the Pacers’ star.

In his post on X on Tuesday, Charania broke the devastating news to the Pacers fans. According to the senior NBA Insider, Haliburton has suffered a strained right calf injury and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

“Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have suffered a strained right calf and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the strain, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote.

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Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have suffered a strained right calf and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the strain, sources tell ESPN.

The timing of the news couldn’t have been more unfortunate for the Indiana Pacers fans. The Pacers had taken a 2-1 lead in the series, however, since then they have lost two back-to-back games. On the brink of losing the NBA Finals, the Pacers players receiving Haliburton’s news would only mount pressure on them.

In Game 5 against the Thunder, Tyrese Haliburton barely looked like himself. He scored only 4 points in 34 minutes, an unforgivable performance for a player of his caliber. Haliburton missed all of his six shots, including four shots from beyond the arc. He ended the game with 4 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Stephen A. Smith takes a brutal jab at Tyrese Haliburton amidst injury concerns

It is hard to defend Tyrese Haliburton for his Game 5 performance. However, a lot made sense when it was revealed that the Pacers guard was dealing with a calf injury, which could substantially hinder a player’s ability to score. At halftime, Tyrese Haliburton was without a point on the scoreboard and just 2 assists. ESPN’s NBA analyst, Stephen A. Smith slammed the Pacers star during halftime and said that the Pacers should take him out and prepare for Game 6.

"He looks bad! he was not active! He was not aggressive! and now that we know that he's not healthy, I totally agree with Big Perk! sit him down! Get him ready for game 6!... he ain't helping the team! He's not helping them!"

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Stephen A. Smith on Tyrese Haliburton: "HE LOOKS BAD! HE WAS NOT ACTIVE! HE WAS NOT AGGRESSIVE! AND NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT HE'S NOT HEALTHY, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH BIG PERK! SIT HIM DOWN! GET HIM READY FOR GAME 6!... HE AIN'T HELPING THE TEAM! HE'S NOT HELPING THEM!"

After the game, Smith once again doubled down on Haliburton’s performance with an unusual comment.

“Haliburton has looked awful and I’m glad he’s injured,” Smith said. “I’m not saying I’m glad he’s injured, but I’m glad we got that as a rationale.”

The Indiana Pacers will face the Thunder in the elimination Game 6 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday.

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About the author

Nandjee Ranjan

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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