With 4:55 left in the first quarter of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, hearts around the world sank for Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
The engine of a team on the brink of its first NBA title, Haliburton took an inbounds pass at the top of the 3-point arc and collapsed onto his stomach after pushing off his right leg.
Pounding his fist against the hardwood, Haliburton burst into tears, realizing his worst fears had come true: his lingering calf strain had turned into something far more serious. His night was over.
Although the Pacers fought until the final buzzer of a 103-91 loss, the sickening feeling of seeing the franchise’s superstar exiting with an injury on the biggest stage lingered. The painful images, replayed throughout the broadcast, were seared into everyone’s minds.
Haliburton’s unique skillset, selflessness, and joy have helped power Indiana’s rise to the top of the Eastern Conference and back into championship contention. He has embraced his role as the face of the Pacers franchise, and is beloved by teammates, coaches, fans and the entire Blue & Gold organization.
Though Haliburton never returned to the floor in Game 7, he stayed in the visitors’ locker room at Paycom Center to cheer on his teammates. After the game, he stood on crutches waiting to console every teammate.
“That’s just who Ty is,” Pacers guard T.J. McConnell said. “To go down like that and be selfless, cheering for us even though he can’t play — that just speaks volumes about who Tyrese Haliburton is. One of the greatest human beings I’ve come in contact with. A great teammate.”
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam added: “He was in the locker room talking to everyone. He’s going through a tough time, and he still looked out for us. It just shows his character. He’s one of the big reasons I’m here, and he made it super fun for me to be here.”
During the 2025 playoffs – the greatest run in Pacers postseason history, and one of the most mathematically improbable in NBA history – Haliburton delivered clutch moments every player dreams of, including three game-winners and a game-tying shot across four rounds. He tallied 197 assists, the most by any player in Pacers playoff history, and scored 399 total points, sixth-most overall for Indiana in a single playoff run.
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“He authored one of the great individual playoff runs in the history of the NBA with dramatic play after dramatic play,” Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle said. “It was just something that no one’s ever seen.”
Aside from his health, which takes top priority, fans will forever wonder how the outcome might have changed had Haliburton remained on the court. He had started the game 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for nine points in just seven minutes and looked poised for another signature performance under the bright lights.
While an official diagnosis and return timeline are still to come, there’s little doubt Haliburton will do everything in his power to return at full strength.
“What happened with Tyrese, all of our hearts dropped,” Carlisle said. “But he will be back…He’ll be back in time, and I believe he’ll make a full recovery.”