Well, this sucks. Tyrese Haliburton was clearly not at 100 percent in Game 5 against the Thunder on Tuesday, and Shams Charania of ESPN confirmed that Indiana's star suffered a strained right calf and will have an MRI to determine how severe the injury is. Whether he'll play in Game 6 vs. OKC on Thursday night is still unknown.
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have suffered a strained right calf and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the strain, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4FTIoB1RVU
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2025
Will Tyrese Haliburton play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals?
After Shams Charania reported that Haliburton was going to try and play in Game 6, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that his star guard will be suiting up in a win-or-go-home matchup with the Thunder on Thursday night. Carlisle noted, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN, that Haliburton went through pre-game testing and that he "did very well" with it.
Rick Carlisle says Tyrese Haliburton will play. He says he was “strength tested at 5 pm and did very well.” No minutes restriction, will be monitored closely.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 19, 2025
Carlisle and MacMahon's note that there won't be a minutes restriction, at least to start off, for Haliburton is crucial. While the likes of Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard have been catalysts for this team's starting lineup at times, the Pacers have only gone as far as Haliburton can take them. Operating under the premise that he has no restrictions and will be ready to play is huge.
At the same time, the fact that he will be monitored closely all the while is essentially a word of caution. Given that it was quite literally right up until before Game 6 that we got official word about Haliburton's status, he's clearly still feeling some of the effects of the injury. We'll have to see how Carlisle and the Pacers react if there are any warning signs that show up, especially early on, against OKC.
Oklahoma City is on the doorstep of winning their first NBA Finals
Don't try to discredit the Thunder if they do finish this off in six games. They are the clear best team in the league and deserve full credit for where they are, even with Haliburton potentially missing the rest of the series. Winners of 68 games in the regular season with one of the best net ratings in NBA history, the Thunder deserve every bit of respect for being here, even if they finish the job against a team without its star.
Without Haliburton, the Pacers likely don't hold much chance to win two straight against the powerhouse. Even with him right now, in a state that seems to be far below 100 percent health, facing the historically good Thunder will be an increcibly tall task.