Indiana’s star Tyrese Haliburton limped out of game seven of the NBA Finals in the first quarter in a devastating blow as the Pacers went down to the Oklahoma City Thunder in their bid to claim the title.
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Haliburton was already nursing a right calf strain and was a near game-time decision for game six — when the Pacers routed the Thunder in Indianapolis to force the decisive game seven.
It was tied at 16-16 with five minutes left in the fist period when Haliburton caught a pass from Obi Toppin and appeared to slip as he tried to drive past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Haliburton sprawled forward, beating the court with one hand in apparent pain. His teammates quickly surrounded him before he was helped from the floor and departed for the locker room — hopping on one leg and supported by Pacers staff.
The Pacers later confirmed Haliburton would play no further part in the game after suffering a “right lower leg injury”, ESPN reported.
Haliburton had made three three-pointers on the way to nine points before the injury.
Without their talisman the Pacers — who had led by as many as dug in to keep it close, the Thunder leading 25-22 at the end of the first quarter.
“It’s a heartbreak, man,” Myles Turner told broadcaster NBC as the second quarter got underway.
“It’s unfortunate, you know, biggest game of the year that injury didn’t, like, hold up.
“But, you know, we’ve got his back and that’s what it’s all about.”
If confirmed, Haliburton would become the third NBA superstar to suffer a torn Achilles this postseason along with Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum, while his injury was eerily similar to that which saw Kevin Durant go down in the 2019 NBA Finals.
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The Athletic’s senior Raptors writer, Eric Koreen, called it a “horrible echo from the past”.
“I was in the arena when Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in 2019. Similarly to tonight, the injury led to a fast break for the opposition on its home court. The fans in Toronto cheered as Serge Ibaka earned free throws on the other end,” Koreen wrote.
“Eventually, the fans at Scotiabank Arena realized what had happened to Durant, were relatively quiet as the game went to a timeout and supported him as he left the floor.
“In the following days, the fans’ reaction was litigated. Were Raptors fans too gleeful to see a superstar get injured? Do we recognize athletes, as well compensated as they are, as humans? It was a lot.
“Let’s hope that conversation doesn’t come back. The series ends tonight regardless of the result, so there will be no need to talk about it in the lead up to another game. Plus, the fans at the Paycom Center appeared to cheer the basket and then quickly turn their attention to Haliburton, applauding him as he left the court.
“Again, just a terrible moment for everyone involved, and an echo of a horrible one from six years ago.”