Tyrese Haliburton reportedly dealt with a calf injury during the Indiana Pacers’ 120-109 Game 5 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, he doesn’t want to use it as an excuse for his poor performance.
The two-time NBA All-Star only had four points, seven rebounds, and six assists, and missed all six shots from the field. Haliburton said during the postgame press conference that he plans to play through pain in Game 6 this Thursday.
“I mean, it’s the NBA Finals,” Haliburton told reporters via Scott Agness. “It’s the Finals — I’ve worked my whole life to be here. It was not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play.”
Haliburton’s calf injury has been a nagging issue throughout the NBA Finals. The Indiana Pacers star was seen limping after Game 2, then said before Game 3 that it was only a minor issue. He played with a wrap on his lower leg for much of Game 5 after leaving for the locker room in the first period.
Indiana Pacers News: Rick Carlisle gets 100% honest on Tyrese Haliburton’s leg injury
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle admitted that Tyrese Haliburton was not 100 percent fit in Game 5. However, he commended his point guard for playing through it and expects him to do the same in Game 6.
“We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing,” Carlisle said about Haliburton. “I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he’s not 100%. There’s a lot of guys in the series that aren’t.”
“He’s a fighter,” Pascal Siakam added. “He’s been our rock all year. He’s a big reason why we’re here. I don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but I know he’s fighting and he’s going to give us everything he’s got.”
