NBA fans’ fears have been confirmed: Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles during his team’s 103-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the news Monday, confirming what many expected after Haliburton exited with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter due to a non-contact injury.
Haliburton was attempting to play through a calf strain on the same leg for a shot at the NBA title. He sustained the strain during Game 5 of the series. Before he exited Game 7, the star guard had already scored nine points on 3-5 shooting from the field and 3-4 from deep. His three 3-pointers still went on to be the most made by any player throughout the game.
The Game 7 injury tainted Indiana’s chances to pull off one final win and fittingly cap off one of the most epic playoff runs in recent memory. Haliburton and company doctored dramatic game-winners and crunch-time comebacks through every round of the playoffs to make it to the Finals as a No. 4 seed. Through 23 postseason appearances, Haliburton averaged 17.3 points, 8.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 34% on 3s.
Haliburton became the third star this postseason to suffer a torn Achilles. Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard sustained a torn Achilles in the first round, and then Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum suffered the same injury during the second round.