Pacers bright future becomes much cloudier because of Tyrese Haliburton's injury
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) leaves the court after losing the NBA basketball championship in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) falls to the court with an injury during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton lays on the court after an injury during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after scoring during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after scoring during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) reacts after losing the NBA basketball championship in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) leaves the court after losing the NBA basketball championship in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) falls to the court with an injury during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton lays on the court after an injury during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after scoring during the first half of Game 7 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton took the Indiana Pacers to heights few thought possible after they started this season with a 10-15 record.
His historic postseason run included a litany of incredible plays, buzzer-beating winners and occasionally unprecedented stat lines, and it helped propel the Pacers to their second NBA Finals appearance and within one victory of the franchise's first championship.
Advertisement
Now, after suffering an apparent Achilles tendon injury in Sunday night's Game 7 loss, the logical question is whether the Pacers can contend for a title next season — if their top playmaker misses the entire season with the injury. Even so, coach Rick Carlisle believes it's only the start for Haliburton & Co.
'He will be back,' Carlisle said following the 103-91 loss at Oklahoma City. 'I don't have any medical information about what's what, what may or may not have happened. But he'll be back in time, and I believe he'll make a full recovery.'
A healthy Haliburton certainly makes the Pacers a stronger team. They likely wouldn't have made it this far without him helping to orchestrate three incredible rallies from seven points down in the final 50 seconds of regulation in three weeks.
But after scoring nine points, all on 3-pointers, in the first seven minutes of the biggest game in franchise history, Haliburton's crash to the floor and sudden departure created a double whammy for Indiana.
Advertisement
Not only did they lose their leader, but Indiana also fell short in its title chase. Again.
'We just kept battling because we wanted to make Indiana proud, make our fans proud,' three-time All-Star Pascal Siakam said. 'We tried our best, but we've got to be strong. It's hard to look forward into the future after you lose like this.'
But everyone else is, and the questions about Haliburton's playing status could make this offseason murkier than expected for Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard.
There are silver linings, though.
At age 25, Haliburton is young enough to return to his pre-injury form and today's medical advances could help shorten the expected timetable of about 12 months.
Advertisement
Many players, including some much older than Haliburton, have shown it is possible to make a full comeback, and Siakam has no doubt Haliburton will join the club.
'I know there's more coming, it's just a tough a situation,' Siakam said. 'I think back a couple of years and basketball was just not fun, you know, and I got traded here and these guys, they just gave me a boost and playing with these guys is so incredible. I found joy with so much swagger and happiness.'
That's unlikely to change regardless of Haliburton's health because his effusive, contagious personality even in the face of adversity will continue to be a key feature for Indiana. Players such as Siakam won't allow that to change.
But Indiana also will begin next season with a strong supporting cast intact and room to grow defensively.
Advertisement
Indiana's deep rotation routinely wore down playoff opponents with its racer-like tempo, a model it could replicate again next season as it has done each of the previous two even when Haliburton didn't play.
Nine of Indiana's top 10 players are under contract for 2025-26, with starting center Myles Turner the lone exception. Indiana's longest-tenured player has a cap hold estimated at slightly less than $30 million, meaning if he re-signs for something close, Indiana would be barely moving into the first apron and could stay out of that spending threshold with another move.
The Pacers also have strong guard play from Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell, who can run the show, as well as emerging defender Ben Sheppard.
Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin also demonstrated their scoring prowess in the postseason. Both also showed they can defend guards and forwards, giving Indiana perhaps the toughness and flexibility to overcome a Haliburton absence.
Advertisement
And Haliburton's absence could create more minutes for young players such as Mathurin, Sheppard and forward Jarace Walker, a lottery pick in 2023.
For now, though, it remains hard to fathom — chasing a title with Haliburton possibly out for most, if not all, of next season.
"A lot of us were hurting from the loss and he was up there consoling us. That's who Tyrese Haliburton is,' McConnell said. 'He's just the greatest.'
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
39 minutes ago
- USA Today
These 5 NBA offseason moves weren't splashy. They may help win 2026 title.
Think of the trade for Alex Caruso and what that did for the Thunder. Caruso, a defensive stopper, assimilated instantly into Oklahoma City's scheme and drew massive assignments — such as guarding Nuggets center Nikola Jokić — during the team's NBA Finals run. Think of the Bucks adding backup center Bobby Portis in free agency the offseason before they beat the Suns in six games to win their first NBA Finals in 50 seasons. Often, it's the overlooked moves that carry massive implications for a team's playoff hopes, and this offseason was no different. Here are five under-the-radar moves that may have gone unnoticed but may prove to be key to championship contention in 2025-26: Bruce Brown rejoins Nuggets Trading for Cameron Johnson boosts Denver's offense in a serious way. Signing veteran guard Bruce Brown — who was a member of the Nuggets' 2023 championship squad but had since moved on to the Pacers, Raptors and Pelicans — is all about leadership and defense. In his lone season in Denver, 2022-23, Brown averaged career-bests in points (11.5), assists (3.4) and minutes (28.5). Brown is an asset because he can switch on pick-and-rolls and helps facilitate on offense. He understands the culture and what's needed to win it all. Dorian Finney-Smith signs with Rockets This move was overshadowed by the trade to land Kevin Durant, but signing Dorian Finney-Smith feels like a move that was done in response to the rise of the Thunder. The Rockets, with Finney-Smith, suddenly have elite length and defensive athleticism at the wing, which should align with clamping Oklahoma City players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Finney-Smith can also hit 3s — he shot a career-best 41.1% from beyond the arc last season — so he also helps spread the floor for Houston. Another move worthy of consideration here is re-signing center Steven Adams, who allows the Rockets to play a two-big lineup, matching up with the Thunder duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Jordan Clarkson signs with Knicks They already had a set starting lineup with continuity and a pair of All-Stars who can ignite. What the Knicks didn't have was a reliable scoring option off the bench (and a coach who isn't afraid to call on reserves). Mike Brown, who isn't shy about extending the rotation, fixes the latter issue, but signing proven scorer Jordan Clarkson to a veteran minimum deal shores up the offense off the bench. Clarkson, 33, agreed to a buyout with the Jazz, making him available. The 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year, Clarkson has scored 8,045 points off the bench, which ranks 11th all-time and leads all active players. Jaylin Williams re-signs with Thunder They already won a championship with Jaylin Williams, or Jay Will — not to be confused with All-Star Jalen Williams (J-Dub). But in re-signing Jaylin Williams, OKC gets added flexibility with the 23-year-old backup forward. Williams averaged 5.9 points and 5.6 boards per game, though he played just 16.7 minutes per contest. But he recorded three triple-doubles in nine starts last season, averaging 14.7 points, 10.7 assists and 13 rebounds across those three games. Put a different way: when the Thunder need him to step up, he is more than capable. He may go on to be a key piece if the Thunder become the first repeat champs since 2018, or if they're hit by the injury bug. Sam Merrill re-signs with Cavaliers He re-signed on a four-year deal that basically went overlooked, but this move is all about replacing Ty Jerome, the Sixth Man of the Year finalist who signed with the Grizzlies. Merrill appeared in 71 regular-season games — a career high — and started three playoff games. He averaged just 7.2 points per game, but his 137 made 3-pointers ranked 12th among NBA reserves. He also posted a plus-minus of +330 off the bench, third best in the league. With more minutes at his disposal, Merrill, a member of the 2021 Bucks team that won the NBA Finals, should see a big jump in production.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Four Nittany Lions make preseason All-American teams
In a preseason that has contained the most hype for the Nittany Lions in over two decades, Penn State continues to dominate preseason All-American teams. The AP just released their teams yesterday and Penn State's dominance was almost certainly felt. Four Nittany Lions ultimately ended up landing on their teams, with three first-team selections and one second-team selection. That ties them with Texas for most first-team selections in the country and finally gives them a second-teamer after the same three players had been selected to the first teams of several other publications. The three players in question that again made the first team are defensive tackle and breakout star of last season Zane Durant, offensive lineman Olaivevega Ioane, and star running back Nicholas Singleton. Backfield running mate Kaytron Allen slots into the second team. This marks Durant's fifth preseason All-American team selection across five publications, Ioane's sixth, and Singleton's fifth. This is Allen's second second-team selection, but it is still notable that one of the deepest squads somehow don't have the subsequent depth on All-American preseason teams. Despite some snubs however, the fact that Durant, Ioane, and Singleton have represented the team so strongly must feel good for Penn State fans. Durant had a breakout 2024 that saw him tied for first amongst defensive tackles and sacks with three and third in TFLs with 11. Ioane was an All-Big Ten second team selection last year and helped the Nittany Lions have one of the most efficient offenses in the country, leading the nation in first downs. And people don't have to be told about both Singleton and Allen, as both could be on the precipice of being Nos. 1 and 2, respectively on Penn State's all-time rushing leaders charts. They already are 1 and 2 in terms of returning FBS players, so why not go for a program record and leave a major legacy behind? These preseason All-American selections do bolster their odds. Most importantly, this gives Penn State bragging rights within the conference. In fact, the only other Big Ten squad to even have multiple first-team selections was No. 3 Ohio State, landing both Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs on the first team. Not even those selections can slow Penn State's mojo however. Let's see if these selections prove the Associated Press right.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rockets' Kevin Durant continues going after Twitter users over strong claims
The post Rockets' Kevin Durant continues going after Twitter users over strong claims appeared first on ClutchPoints. Houston Rockets fans entered Thursday afternoon hyped for the release of their 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule. Kevin Durant and Co. will open up the season visiting the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder on October 21, 2025. Until then, however, Kevin Durant continues to go after his critics on social media. Rockets' Kevin Durant continues going after Twitter users over bold claims Kevin Durant is no stranger to trolls, and his activity on social media suggest he actually enjoys the banter of going back and forth with fans and haters alike. In a few recent exchanges, Durant made sure to give his critics a piece of his mind. This comes after one of the league's best scorers responded to a Twitter user who disagreed with the idea of calling him the, 'greatest scorer of all time.' That led to a back-and-forth on Twitter, and that continued into Thursday evening. Just a few days ago, when the NBA announced that Durant and the Rockets would open up the season in front of the Oklahoma City Thunder, fans began debates about whether or not Durant deserved to have his jersey retired. Kevin Durant will be playing for his fifth NBA franchise, but the fourth in 10 seasons. After leaving the Warriors, Durant has played two-and-a-half seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and two-and-a-half seasons with the Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant will be entering his 18th year in the NBA next season, playing 1,123 regular season games and 170 playoff appearances. In his 17-year NBA career, Durant has averaged 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.1 block per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 39 percent from three during the regular season. In his postseason career, Durant has averaged 29.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from three. Related: Carmelo Anthony's expectation for HOF induction will move NBA fans
