With the Indiana Pacers facing elimination in the 2025 NBA Finals, star guard Tyrese Haliburton made one thing clear after a painful Game 5 performance: he’s not going down without a fight.
Despite being visibly limited by a right calf injury, Haliburton insisted on suiting up in the Pacers’ 120–109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which put Indiana behind 3–2 in the series. After the game, he addressed his condition with a mix of honesty and resolve:
“It’s the Finals—I’ve worked my whole life to be here. It was not really a thought of mine to not play. If I can walk, then I want to play.”
Tyrese on playing through pain:
“I mean it’s the NBA Finals. I’ve worked my whole life to be here. It’s not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play” pic.twitter.com/O78PHJqRvo
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) June 17, 2025
Haliburton’s injury, described as calf tightness, first flared up in Game 2 and was aggravated early in Game 5 when he stumbled on a drive and left for the locker room. He returned with his calf wrapped but was clearly not himself. In 34 minutes, he went 0-for-6 from the field, scoring just four points—all from the free-throw line—while adding seven rebounds and six assists.
It was the first time in his playoff career that Haliburton failed to make a field goal, and his lowest scoring output of the postseason,
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged Haliburton’s limitations but praised his determination:
“He’s not 100 percent. It’s pretty clear. But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game.”
Teammate Pascal Siakam echoed that sentiment, calling Haliburton “our rock” and adding,
“We are a hundred percent behind him and we support him. He’s going to give us everything he’s got.”
With the Finals returning to Indianapolis for Game 6, the Pacers will need Haliburton’s playmaking and poise more than ever. Whether he can regain enough mobility to be effective remains uncertain, but his mindset is unwavering.
“There’s good games and bad games,” Haliburton said. “But I want to be out there to compete. Help my teammates any way I can.”
