On Thursday night, the Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, 108-91. Game 7 is slated for Sunday in OKC, and the Pacers are just one win away from a shocking upset and their first title. However, they are also just a loss away from a heartbreaking end to their season.
Heading into Game 6, the biggest story was Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a calf sprain in Game 5 and looked hobbled, going 0-6 from the floor in the loss. In Game 6, he suited up and finished with 14 points, five assists, and two steals.
When it was apparent that he was hurt earlier in the week, he made it clear that he would play provided he retained the ability to walk, which he clearly did. Naturally, the press and fans thought there was a chance he wouldn't play, although with their season on the line, he showed up.
"He's super important to us," said Rick Carlisle. "And I think the big thing was there wasn't a lot of drama. The drama was created in the press somewhat because there's a lot of talk about it. It was not coming from him. He was straightforward. He didn't want a lot of attention. He was doing everything possible to be able to play."
After the game, Haliburton pointed out that he has two full rest days before Game 7, and should be closer to one hundred percent. Out of all of the Pacers' starters, he played the least amount in Game 6, which was to be expected, and the lighter load should speed up his recovery.
"Fortunately, we were able to keep his minutes reasonable because we had a great first half and a good start to the third quarter," Carlisle finished
The Pacers open as 8.5-point underdogs in Game 7, although with everything at stake for both teams, expect Haliburton to play more and bring a level of aggression rarely seen.
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