Game 5 of the NBA Finals is not a performance Tyrese Haliburton will want to remember.
The two-time all-star aggravated a right leg injury late in the first quarter after he lost his balance on a drive and hit the floor, grimacing in pain. Haliburton would leave to the locker room area briefly before making his return four minutes into the second.
But despite playing 34 minutes in the 120-109 loss, the lead guard was clearly hobbled as he tied his playoff career-low with just four points, all while going without a made field goal for the first time through 36 post-season appearances.
He also added seven rebounds and six assists to go with his three turnovers as he finished a minus-13.
The Pacers thought about shutting down Haliburton at halftime, but he insisted otherwise, according to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle post-game.
While unclear what exactly is bothering Haliburton’s leg, it’s a recurring issue he’s been dealing with for some time. After Indiana’s Game 2 loss in OKC, the 25-year-old was seen limping post-game.
Haliburton addressed the matter before Game 3, however, downplaying any concerns.
“I’m fine. Really just a lower leg thing. I’ll leave it at that,” Haliburton explained. “I don’t think there’s anything more to elaborate.”
And although Carlisle echoed that sentiment at the time, despite revealing Haliburton was indeed experiencing discomfort early in the series, his tune changed a bit after Game 5.
“He’s not 100 per cent, it’s pretty clear,” Indiana’s bench boss said of his star player post-game. “But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, he insisted on playing and I thought he made a lot of good things happen in the second half, but he’s not 100 per cent.
Haliburton came into Monday averaging 17.8 points, 7.5 assists and six rebounds in the Finals.
And now, the challenge of winning an NBA title gets even tougher for the Pacers with one of their leaders possibly limited as they trail for the first time in a series these playoffs.
Indiana must win Thursday’s Game 6 at home to force a winner-takes-all Game 7 to determine the next NBA champions.
— with files from the Associated Press
