Haliburton Injured in Game 7 Loss

During Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles tendon, according to reports. The incident occurred in the first quarter, forcing Halliburton to be assisted off the court and immediately taken to the locker room.

With the score tied at 16-16 and 5:03 remaining in the first quarter, Haliburton received a pass beyond the 3-point line. As he planted his right foot to drive towards the basket, he suddenly collapsed in pain, losing control of the ball. Oklahoma City capitalized, scoring a dunk while Haliburton struck the floor in agony, unable to bear weight on his injured leg as he was helped to the locker room.

The Pacers concluded the first half with a narrow 48-47 advantage. However, Oklahoma City, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, exploited Haliburton’s absence and secured a 103-91 victory, clinching the championship.

Haliburton, who had been managing a strained right calf, reportedly sustained during Indiana’s Game 5 defeat in Oklahoma City, verified his Achilles injury. Despite the setback, he expressed his determination to participate in the remaining NBA Finals games if possible.

Before his exit, the two-time All-Star recorded nine points, including three 3-pointers. Throughout the NBA Finals, he averaged 14.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.6 rebounds.

The standard rehabilitation period for a basketball player recovering from a torn Achilles tendon typically spans from eight to ten months.

During the regular season, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds across 73 games. Throughout his career with the Sacramento Kings (2020-22) and Pacers, he holds averages of 17.5 points, 8.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 333 games.