The Indiana Pacers are awaiting word on the injury status of star Tyrese Haliburton ahead of Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Tyrese Haliburton has been a central figure for the Indiana Pacers throughout their run to the NBA Finals, with his clutch shots fueling dramatic comebacks and completely flipping the perception that he was the league’s “most overrated” player prior to this postseason.
But his presence looms even larger ahead of Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Haliburton’s status remains in doubt due to what ESPN is reporting as a calf injury that he appears to have suffered or re-aggravated with the Thunder one win from a title and the Pacers facing an elimination game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday, June 19.
The 25-year-old point guard was mostly ineffective in the Pacers’ Game 5 loss to the Thunder, finishing with four points (but no made field goals), six assists and seven rebounds in 34 minutes. Here’s the latest on Haliburton’s injury situation ahead of NBA Finals Game 6:
Tyrese Haliburton injury update
Tyrese Haliburton is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, who confirmed this to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the injury.
ESPN was the first to report Tuesday that Haliburton is dealing with a strained right calf and is expected to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. He appeared to suffer the injury during the first quarter of Game 5 on Monday night but later returned to the court with his leg wrapped.
Haliburton was already banged up before Monday night.
The Pacers star showed up to his postgame news conference after Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a noticeable limp. It was later deemed a right ankle injury by the team, but Haliburton did not appear on the Indiana injury report before Game 3. Haliburton acknowledged to reporters Monday that his latest calf injury is in the “same area” as the previous ankle injury.
“He’s not at a hundred percent,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said after Game 5. “It’s pretty clear. But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing.”
Haliburton also insisted after Monday’s game he would play in Game 6.
“It’s the Finals, man. I’ve worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete. Help my teammates any way I can,” he said. “I was not great tonight by any means, but it’s not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play. … Got to be ready to go for Game 6.”
Carlisle is next expected to speak with reporters after the Pacers hold practice Wednesday, June 18.
Tyrese Haliburton injury timeline
If this were the regular season, Haliburton would almost certainly miss Game 6 on Thursday.
Draymond Green suffered what the Golden State Warriors announced as a mild calf strain on Jan. 18 and did not return to action until Feb. 3. Luka Doncic missed 22 games due to a calf strain with the Dallas Mavericks before returning to the court more than two months after the initial injury occurred following his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. It should be noted that Doncic had a history of calf strains in that leg.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis also suffered a calf strain during the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs and didn’t return to the lineup until the NBA Finals more than a month later.
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(Thunder lead series 3-2)
USA TODAY Sports’ Heather Tucker and Lorenzo Reyes contributed to this story.
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