On Friday night, the Indiana Pacers took a 117-114 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite attending all of Indiana's past games this season, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton chose to skip the match.
The last time the two franchises faced each other was in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, where Haliburton suffered a season-ending Achilles injury early in the first quarter. The two-time All-Star is not expected to return to action until the 2026-2027 season.
NBA on Prime's Taylor Rooks reportedly spoke with Haliburton about his absence from the Paycom Center.
“He does not think he is ready to go back there yet. He said, ‘It’s something I still think about for sure.’ He would like the next time that he goes back to be when he can play and get lost in competing and playing the game that he loves rather than staring at that spot on the floor the whole game.”
Pacers Basketball Without Haliburton
Last season, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists over 73 games. He was named to the All-NBA Third Team.
Haliburton led the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indiana went through the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks to reach the league championship series.
Aside from Friday's victory against the Thunder, Indiana has struggled without its franchise star. With an 11-35 record, the Pacers are in the 14th spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
In Haliburton's absence, star forward Pascal Siakam is the Pacers' de facto first option for the time being. Siakam is averaging a team-high 23.8 points and 6.9 rebounds over 44 games.
While the Pacers still have an outside shot to climb toward a playoff appearance, it’s more likely that the season will result in a trip to the draft lottery. Top draft prospects include Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer.
Based on current trends, the Pacers will likely not be in a rush to get Haliburton back on the court. The 24-year-old is still at a relatively early stage of his career, and Indiana could benefit from adding a talented young prospect during the offseason.
Newsweek