In the opening quarter of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton went down with a lower leg injury and had to be helped off the court and into the locker room. It was immediately apparent that the injury was significant, and fans recognized it as a torn Achilles.
On Monday, ESPN Insider Shams Charania confirmed what fans feared: Haliburton tore his ligament.
"Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton sustained a torn right Achilles tendon in Game 7 against Oklahoma City," Charania posted. "Haliburton played through a calf strain in the same leg during the NBA Finals for an opportunity to win a championship. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton sustained a torn right Achilles tendon in Game 7 against Oklahoma City, sources tell ESPN. Haliburton played through a calf strain in the same leg during the NBA Finals for an opportunity to win a championship."
Haliburton suffered a calf strain in Game 5, but played through the pain until suffering his devastating injury.
In the 2019 playoffs, Kevin Durant suffered an identical injury situation, although his strain happened nine games after his Achilles tear. Durant sat out all of those contests until his tear, which kept him out for all of the following season.
It is expected that Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Haliburton, who all suffered the same injury in the playoffs, will miss the following season.
Unlike the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers do have options. Andrew Nembhard is a point guard who often plays off-ball and can shoulder playmaking duties, and TJ McConnell is one of the best backups in the league.
While a season without Haliburton makes going on a deep playoff run sounds hard, the Eastern Conference is incredibly weak, and the path back to the Finals is not impossible.
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