By Joe Vardon The Athletic
INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton participated in the Indiana Pacers’ walk-through and shootaround Wednesday with the intent of playing in Game 6 of the NBA Finals with a strained right calf.
But there is a question as to whether the all-NBA point guard will be on the court for the Pacers on Thursday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who can close out the series with a victory.
“I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions — but I’m a competitor. I want to play,” Haliburton said after the Pacers’ practice Wednesday. “I’m going to do everything in my power to play.
On a local radio show earlier in the day, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton would likely be listed as “questionable” and the ultimate decision on his status would be made near game time.
“He’ll go through the day tomorrow,” Carlisle said after practice Wednesady. “Our prep session is tomorrow late afternoon. They’ll get together and do some testing. That will determine whether he plays or not. If he doesn’t play, we have a plan obviously if we’re without him.”
The Pacers were in a similar situation during the 2024 Eastern Conference finals, when a hamstring strain suffered by Haliburton during Game 2 against Boston knocked him out of Games 3 and 4. Last year, Carlisle moved Andrew Nembhard over from shooting guard to point guard (and he dominated), while inserting Ben Sheppard into the starting lineup.
In those two games, both three-point losses, Nembhard scored a combined 56 points with 19 assists. So the Nembhard-Sheppard tandem could be the Pacers’ plan, even though reserve guard T.J. McConnell has proven highly effective. McConnell scored 18 points in 22 minutes, including 13 in the third quarter to keep Indiana within striking distance, and is averaging 11.2 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals in 17.9 minutes per game in the finals. Indiana may want to keep McConnell’s minutes between 20 and 25, and keep its rotation pattern intact, rather than placing him in the starting lineup. Or the Pacers could decide McConnell’s effectiveness in this series is too great to avoid placing him with the starters.
“That’s just kind of who he is,” Carlisle said about McConnell. “He was great in the third quarter and the early fourth. And depending on the situation (Thursday), we may need him for significantly more minutes.”
But, again, Haliburton said “the plan” — his plan — is to play Game 6. He is averaging 15 points, 7.2 assists and an uncharacteristically high 4.0 turnovers through five games in the finals, but has been struggling with injuries to his lower right leg for much of the series.
After hitting the game-winning shot at the end of Game 1, Haliburton noted after a Game 2 loss that he was dealing with discomfort in his right leg, which was later said to be an ankle injury. And then in the first quarter of the Pacers’ Game 5 loss on Monday, Haliburton tripped on a drive and when he stood up, he favored his right calf. He had it wrapped when he was on the bench throughout the game and finished with four points, seven boards, and six assists in 34 minutes. He was 0-of-6 from the field.
On Wednesday, Carlisle pointed out that Haliburton was on the court when the Pacers cut the lead to two points. “Then what happened there was we had a good defensive possession, we over-helped, gave up a second shot, it turned into a 3,” Carlisle said. “We had an untimely turnover at the other end that turned into a breakaway dunk. Boom, it was seven again.”
Haliburton said his treatments include “massage, needles, hyperbaric, H waves.” The risk for a calf strain is it can weaken the muscles around the Achilles tendon, which makes it vulnerable to a tear. He seemed to acknowledge there was a risk in playing but also reiterated his desire to be on the court at the most important time of the season.
The Thunder lead, 3-2, in what has been a thrilling and close series. The Pacers could easily still win.
“They trust me to make the right decision on my body when the power is in my hands,” Haliburton said. “I’m trying to try my best to do that.
“I mean, you understand that. I want to be out there. That’s the plan.”