Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have suffered a strained calf and needs an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
His status moving forward for the remainder of the NBA Finals is unclear from the report.
Haliburton sustained the injury in Monday’s NBA Finals Game 5. The Oklahoma City Thunder won the game to take a 3-2 series lead and move within one win of securing an NBA championship.
Haliburton appeared to sustain the injury without contact in the first quarter while driving to the basket. He briefly left for the Pacers locker room before returning to the sideline in the second quarter with a wrap around his calf.
Haliburton injured his right leg and went back to the locker room after this play.
He came back and returned to the game shortly after.
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Haliburton removed the wrap and played through the end of the game. He played 34 minutes during the 120-109 Thunder win, but struggled to make an impact on the game.
Haliburton failed to make a field goal in an 0-for-6 effort from the floor. He finished the loss with four points, seven rebounds and six assists in his worst game of the playoffs, by far.
Haliburton, an Olympian and a two-time NBA All-Star, is critical to Indiana’s hopes of rallying to win the NBA championship. The Pacers must win Games 6 and 7 to win the title. Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday night (8:30 p.m. ET) in Indianapolis.
In 21 games this postseason, Haliburton has averaged 17.9 points, 9.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46.3% from the floor and 32.4% from 3-point distance. He’s hit multiple game-winning shots to cap Pacers comeback wins throughout the playoffs.
