Is Tyrese Haliburton injured? Pacers fans ask star guard to ‘wake up' in NBA Finals Game 2 vs OKC
Tyrese Haliburton, the star of the Indiana Pacers' Game 1 win vs the Oklahoma City Thunder, struggled to lead his side in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. Frustrated Pacers fans asked the star guard to 'wake up', noting that he looked exhausted through the game at the Paycom Center.
With about 5:30 minutes left in Q3, OKC managed to hold Haliburton to a mere three points and four assists while reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had already crossed the 20-point mark. Oklahoma led the visitors 79-60 at the time of writing this story.
Read More: Tyrese Haliburton claps back with brutal comeback after NBA Finals heroics, sheds 'most overrated' label
'Tyrese Haliburton better be glad he hit that big shot Game 1 cause he playing weak today and lowkey was that great game 1 neither. He got to step it up!' one fan wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
'Does Tyrese Haliburton know his team relies on him? Lmao,' another person tweeted.
'did Tyrese Haliburton show up to the game tonight?' a third fan wrote sarcastically.
Haliburton was cleared for Pacers' Game 2 vs the Thunder on Sunday. He was not listed as injured for the last game. He played 39 minutes in game 1 with no visible discomfort.
If the Pacers managed to win Game 2, they would have become overwhelming favorites for the Finals.
Read More: NBA Finals: OKC vs Pacers Game 2 takes first hit from tornado warning in Oklahoma - Here's what's happening
'The journey to get here all year has not been about getting to the finals,' Haliburton said ahead of Sunday's game. 'It's a day at a time, especially after the start of the year. And it's hard — we have social media and friends and family that tell us all the numbers of if you can win the two games at home, whatever it will look like, or on the road or whatever the case.'
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
"I'll Be Out There": Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Battles Lower Leg Discomfort Ahead of Crucial Game 3 in NBA Finals
Tyrese Haliburton. Image via: Getty Images Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is managing lower leg discomfort but has no doubts about suiting up for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite visible limping after Sunday's 123-107 loss, Haliburton remains confident he'll be ready when the series resumes Wednesday night. The Indiana Pacers and Thunder are tied 1-1, with Game 3 tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET in Indianapolis. Tyrese Haliburton, averaging 15.5 points and six assists in the series, acknowledged the injury but downplayed its severity. Tyrese Haliburton dismisses concerns over injury 'It's really just a lower leg thing, I'm gonna leave it at that,' Tyrese Haliburton said Tuesday. 'I don't think there's anything more to elaborate.' Though he didn't specify whether the issue was related to his calf or ankle, Haliburton's history of hamstring problems—including a strain that sidelined him during last year's Eastern Conference finals—raises questions about his durability. Still, neither he nor the Indiana Pacers appear overly concerned. Head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed Haliburton participated fully in Tuesday's practice and expects him to play. 'At this time of year, I don't know if anybody's feeling perfect,' Carlisle said. 'He has some discomfort, but each day is getting better. This is the time of year where it just doesn't get any better than this.' Thunder's defense stifling Tyrese Haliburton's production Who is Tyrese Haliburton's father, John Haliburton? Everything you should know about force behind Indiana Pacers star (Image via: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images) Beyond health, Tyrese Haliburton's bigger challenge has been Oklahoma City's elite defense. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like USDJPY đang đi lên không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The Thunder, the NBA's top-rated defensive team this season, have thrown multiple defenders at him, including Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The strategy has worked so far. Haliburton has struggled with efficiency, shooting just 33% from three and averaging four turnovers per game. His assist-to-turnover ratio, usually stellar at nearly 9:1, has dipped significantly. 'I feel like I haven't been great by any means through the first two games,' Haliburton admitted. 'I'm just trying to take what I can to prepare for Game 3. The answers always lie in the film.' Indiana Pacers must clean up turnovers to compete Indiana's turnover issues have been a major storyline. The team has coughed up the ball 40 times in two games, with many mistakes leading directly to Thunder points. Carlisle joked about some of the miscues, saying, 'Some of our turnovers have been so violently bad, the opponent hasn't even had a chance to catch the ball.' But the problem is no laughing matter. Against a disciplined team like Oklahoma City, wasted possessions are costly. 'You can't play too careful against them, or otherwise you'll never get a basket,' Carlisle added. Other Indiana Pacers dealing with minor ailments Carlisle also mentioned that a couple of other players are 'slightly under the weather,' though he didn't name them. Forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) and center Tony Bradley (hip) have dealt with injuries earlier in the playoffs, but their status for Game 3 remains unclear. With the series shifting to Indianapolis, Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have a chance to regain control. His ability to shake off the leg discomfort and solve Oklahoma City's defensive schemes will be key to Indiana's title hopes. Also read: Skip Bayless' Drops Bombshell After OKC Thunder Game 2 Domination – Can the Indiana Pacers Respond? For now, the message is clear: Haliburton will play, and the Pacers aren't backing down.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Haliburton dismisses injury fears ahead of Thunder clash
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton shrugged off fitness fears on Tuesday as his team prepared to regain momentum against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the NBA Finals. Haliburton was seen walking with a limp following Sunday's rout by the Thunder in game two following a lackluster performance in which he struggled to trouble the Oklahoma City defense. Haliburton though insisted on Tuesday his fitness was not a concern as Indiana look to regain the lead after Sunday's loss left the series tied at 1-1. "I'm fine," Haliburton told reporters. "Really just a lower leg thing. I'll leave it at that. I don't think there's anything more to elaborate. "I feel fine and I'll be ready to go for Game 3." Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton was experiencing "some discomfort" but said that was to be expected as the gruelling eight-month season reached its climax. "At this time of year, I don't know if anybody's feeling perfect," Carlisle said of Haliburton. "He practiced. He went through everything. I know he has some discomfort. He feels it. But each day it's getting better. I don't think you're going to hear him making a big deal out of it." Carlisle added that while "a couple" of Pacers players were under the weather, nothing would prevent them from lining up for the remainder of the series. "I don't think anything is going to keep these guys from playing in the game," Carlisle added. The Pacers coach was more preoccupied with drawing up a gameplan that can deliver a more consistent performance following an uneven start to the finals. The Pacers have trailed for most of the opening two games, winning game one with a last-second Haliburton basket before being blown out in game two in what was almost a wire-to-wire Thunder win. "I think we've lost, at least by scoreboard, six out of eight or seven out of eight quarters," Carlisle said. "We're playing a great team. So we've got to make adjustments. We got to play better. "Everything that's already happened doesn't matter, other than the score of the series. We have to move forward. There's a lot of things we have to do better. We realize that." Pacers ace Pascal Siakam meanwhile said the key to reigniting the team's finals challenge would be disrupting Oklahoma City's offense and winning the battle for rebounds. "We got to get stops. You get stops, you get in transition. That's the first thing," Siakam said. "We got to also get rebounds. If you can't do those two things, I don't think you can be successful in transition. "We know we can run. That's what we do. It's not really possible to run if you're not getting stops or you're not getting rebounds." rcw/jc
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Pacers admit Tyrese Haliburton is hurting but will play Game 3
INDIANOLIS Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle admits his point guard is not fully healthy, but he's 100 percent certain Tyrese Haliburton is playing in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1. "I don't think you're going to hear him making a big deal out of it," Carlisle said Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse of Haliburton's status as the Finals stage was being set in Indiana for the first time since 2000. "This is the time of year where it just doesn't get any better than this. The atmosphere, the interest, the opportunity, coming back and being at home. I mean, there's just so much to be excited about. We've got a couple guys that are slightly under the weather; I don't think anything is going to keep these guys from playing in the game." Haliburton delivered the dagger jumpshot to sink the Oklahoma City Thunder on their home court in Game 1 and win 111-110. Carlisle said Haliburton was "feeling it" during Game 2, when he was dogged by a physical defensive rotation, turned the ball over five times more than any game in the previous series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks and is 5-of-15 from 3-point range in the first two games of the Finals. Haliburton described his injury as a "lower leg thing" and referred to it as a non-factor. "I'll leave it at that. I don't think there's anything more to elaborate. I feel fine and I'll be ready to go for Game 3," Haliburton, 25, said. In 73 regular-season games, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.2 assists. Game 4 is scheduled for Friday night in Indianapolis. Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
