The Indiana Pacers ‘hearts dropped’ after Tyrese Haliburton injury: Rick Carlisle

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacting after suffering an injury on June 22. PHOTO: REUTERS

UPDATED Jun 23, 2025, 04:51 PM

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said his team’s “hearts dropped” after seeing Tyrese Haliburton’s early injury exit in their National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals defeat by the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 22.

Pacers talisman Haliburton – the pivotal figure in Indiana’s run through the play-offs – collapsed to the hardwood in agony early in the first quarter and did not return.

The 25-year-old, who had been nursing a right calf strain since last week, hobbled off the court supported by Pacers backroom staff, and was later seen on crutches following Indiana’s 103-91 defeat.

Haliburton started off hot, hitting three three-pointers in a little more than five minutes to start the game.

“What happened with Tyrese, all of our hearts dropped,” Carlisle said in a post-game press conference.

“But he will be back. I don’t have any medical information about what may or may not have happened, but he’ll be back in time, and I believe he’ll make a full recovery.”

“I was thinking about it the whole game,” admitted Pacers forward Obi Toppin, who was 0-for-four from the field.

Haliburton’s father earlier told ESPN his son had suffered an Achilles injury. The Pacers said Haliburton exited with a “lower right leg injury.”

Carlisle meanwhile saluted Haliburton’s role in an against-the-odds run to the brink of an NBA championship.

“He authored one of the great individual play-off runs in the history of the NBA with dramatic play after dramatic play,” Carlisle said.

“It was just something that no one’s ever seen and he did it as one of 17. You know, that’s the beautiful thing about him.

“As great a player as he is, it’s always a team thing. So, our hearts go out to him.”

Carlisle said Haliburton had helped gee up the squad in the locker room at half-time, when the Pacers had taken a slender one-point lead at the break.

However, he admitted the game had swung decisively in Oklahoma City’s favour after they outscored the Pacers 34-20 in the third quarter.

“We needed to come out of the locker room and be better in the first five minutes of the third quarter. We just weren’t,” Carlisle said.

“I don’t have the whole sequence of events but they made some great plays. We got off to a show start, and that quarter was the killer.”

On Haliburton, Pacers co-star Pascal Siakam said: “I’m proud of that kid. He went through so much during the year. A lot of criticism. It’s a lot for a young kid to go through, and he had a lot of stress. And he just kept fighting.

“He did some incredible things, this whole play-off run and this year. I’m just super proud of him. Obviously, it hurts because we couldn’t get it done, and I wanted it so bad for him just because I know that he gave us everything.”

Even without Haliburton, though, the Pacers kept the game tight, leading by one at half-time and tying the game at 56 in the third before the Thunder began their onslaught.

It could have been worse for the Pacers if not for point guard T.J. McConnell, who scored 12 points in the third, hitting six of Indiana’s eight field goals in the frame.

Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers for the game with 24 points off the bench. Siakam and McConnell added 16 each. AFP, REUTERS

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