The Indiana Pacers confirmed on Sunday that Tyrese Haliburton will not return to play in the NBA Finals Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He has been suffering from a right lower leg injury since Game 5, which was aggravated in the first quarter of Game 7.
The Pacers shared the devastating news of Haliburton missing the rest of Game 7 of the NBA Finals with the fans through a post on the social media platform X.
Haliburton, who was playing with a strained right calf, tumbled to the court in a heap, immediately began punching the floor in frustration and needed to be helped to the locker room.
The Pacers quickly determined that Haliburton would be ruled out for the rest of Game 7 with a lower right leg injury. Replays appeared to show something popping in the back of his leg. The injury happened with 4:55 left in the first quarter. It was later confirmed that it was an Achilles injury.
Haliburton put no weight on the leg and had his face wrapped in towels as he was taken to the Pacers’ locker room for evaluation. Virtually the entire Indiana playing, coaching and medical staff surrounded him on the court once he got hurt.
The star’s dad, John Haliburton, was in the crowd when the injury aggravated and was seen bursting into tears as Tyrese Haliburton was being helped off the court.
“It’s a heartbreak, man. It’s unfortunate, but we’ve got his back,” Pacers center Myles Turner told ABC during an in-game interview after the opening period.
Tyrese Haliburton had been getting all sorts of treatment to get his calf in good enough shape to play in the last two games of the NBA Finals. He played well in Game 6, and Game 7 started promisingly, with Haliburton making three deep 3-pointers.