LeBron, NBA stars react to Tyrese Haliburton injury in Game 7

Well, this sucks. Midway through the first quarter, Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals took a heartbreaking turn. Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, who sustained a calf injury in Game 5, crumpled to the floor and immediately expressed significant pain. He attempted to plant and drive off of his injured right leg and appears to have suffered a season-ending injury.

Haliburton has put together one of the greatest clutch runs in NBA history during these playoffs, giving the No. 4 seed Pacers a chance to capture their first-ever NBA title. Few teams in profgessional sports have experienced a title drought as long as Indiana. For it to potentially end like this — with their star point guard's body failing him despite his gutsiest effort to play through pain — is overwhelmingly sad.

Several NBA stars and other celebrities took to social media in reaction to the heartbreaking scene.

LeBron James, other NBA stars react to Tyrese Haliburton's brutal Game 7 injury

LeBron James posted a one-word, NSFW exclamation after the play.

Knicks star Josh Hart, who faced Haliburton in the eastern conference finals, sent up prayers for the Pacers' primary orchestrator.

De'Aaron Fox, Haliburton's former teammate in Sacramento, was is shock.

As was NBA legend Vince Carter.

NBA stars weren't the only athletes to express their dismay over Haliburton's injury either. A spate of NFL stars took to X, including Chiefs quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champ Patrick Mahomes, who knows a thing or two about the grind and the physical toll of a deep postseason run.

Credit where it's due for Indiana. The Pacers are fighting neck-and-neck with OKC through the second quarter. With smothering defense and an aggressive drive-and-kick offense centered on TJ McConnell, the Pacers are determined to at least keep this game interesting. We cannot write OKCs name in sharpie on the trophy just yet.

This is just the latest in a string of major Achilles injuries in these playoffs, however — assuming Haliburton's injury is what league personnel and doctors fear it is. Damian Lillard in the first round. Jayson Tatum in the second round. With an impossibly grueling 82-game schedule, these injuries are becoming more and more common.

NBA athletes are better than ever, which means an increased stress on their joints as they plant and pivot. There is also the youth basketball factor, as many of these players are competing nonstop from childhood in high-intensity environments.

We don't know the exact buildup of circumstances in Haliburton's case, but these injury-riddled playoffs feel like an indictment on how the league currently operates — and how players are developed at lower levels. It's time for the basketball bigwigs to look in the mirror and assess the situation.

As for Haliburton, we can only hope for positive luck and a swift recovery. He deserved so much better than this.