OKLAHOMA CITY — Tyrese Haliburton said he understood the risks of playing through a calf strain to be on the court for Games 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals.
“I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions,” Haliburton said before Game 6. “I’m a competitor; I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play. That’s just what it is.”
In the first quarter of Game 7, Haliburton planted to drive past an Alex Caruso closeout and his leg gave way and he fell to the ground in obvious pain.
Instantly he was surrounded by a circle of teammates, and the usually deafening Paycom Arena got quiet. Haliburton had to be helped back to the locker room, a towel draped over his head. For everyone in the building, it was stomach-turning.
Injury Update: Tyrese Haliburton (right lower leg injury) will not return to tonight’s game.
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 23, 2025
Haliburton’s father confirmed what everyone feared, this is a torn Achilles, speaking to to Lisa Salters on the ABC broadcast.
It was always the risk of Haliburton playing through his calf injury. It was eerily reminiscent of Kevin Durant going to the ground in the 2019 Finals when he tried to return too early from a calf injury and ended up tearing his Achilles.
The game was tied 16-16 when Haliburton was injured. Haliburton had nine of those points on deep 3-pointers, taking advantage of the Thunder’s deeper pick-up points on him in this game. He was not afraid of the moment, which makes this injury all the more sickening.
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