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Toronto Star
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Pacers executive confirms Tyrese Haliburton won't play next year as he recovers from torn Achilles
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) AL flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA players seem to tear their Achilles more frequently nowadays. Why is that?
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 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 (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 (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 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 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 (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) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Durant and Tyrese Haliburton entered their respective NBA Finals elimination games with strained right calves. Each wound up leaving early with torn right Achilles tendons. Durant, a perennial All-Star and the league's 2014 MVP, missed the whole next season as he recovered from the injury and now Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers' two-time All-Star, could face a similar fate. Predictable? Perhaps. Both knew the risks when they opted to chase a championship, and both wound up paying the price when their tendons gave out on pro basketball's biggest stage. Advertisement 'There's no question you're at a higher risk of worsening an injury or another injury occurring because maybe your gait is off a little bit or the muscle firing isn't as good,' said Dr. Kevin Farmer, an orthopedic surgeon and chief of sports medicine at the University of Florida. 'To Tyrese's credit, maybe he wasn't as healthy as he wanted to be, but he was willing to go out there and try to perform to win that championship for the team. "He made a decision to take that risk, and I think there should be some credit there for trying.' Haliburton's injury reflects a new trend, though, one that has seen younger players become more susceptible to Achilles injuries that were traditionally more prevalent in athletes in their mid to late 30s and early 40s. Haliburton, 25, Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum, 27, and Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard, 34, all suffered Achilles injuries in the playoffs and each is expected to miss most if not all of next season. Advertisement Farmer and Dr. James Borchers, president and CEO of the U.S. Council for Athletes Health and a longtime team physician for Ohio State football, have studied the changes. They attribute the increase in Achilles injuries to many factors from low-cut shoes to longer seasons to Fluoroquinolone, a class of antibiotics both acknowledge has been tied to ruptured tendons. Neither has examined Haliburton, Tatum or Lillard. But they believe the biggest factor may be younger athletes shedding the multi-sport label to specialize in a single sport year-round, creating more wear and tear on specific body parts, such as elbows and Achilles tendons, that are prone to break down based on workload. 'Athletes that are doing a a lot impact — so certainly jumping and putting a lot of stress across tendons — and those tendons over time can develop into micro damage and lead to weakening in the tendon,' Borchers said. 'I think there's a lot more activity that increases the risk of these types of injuries and it's the wear and tear. It's very rare we're going to look at an otherwise healthy tendon rupture just rupture because of an acute event." Advertisement It's not conjecture, either. Multiple studies from Farmer's medical team at Florida have researched whether today's overuse injuries in baseball occur because players are throwing harder for longer periods. Farmer said he considers the Achilles tendon in basketball to be comparable to the elbow in baseball. 'Instead of athletes getting (Achilles injuries) in their 30s or 40s because of wear and tear, we're seeing it now early on because of the excessive stress they've developed their whole lives,' Farmer said. 'I really think we're going to find out at some point that the way we've changed (youth sports), the risk, is why we're seeing these younger athletes injured.' The image of Haliburton crashing to the ground and agonizingly slapping the court in frustration may wind up as the most indelible image out of this year's NBA Finals. But he's already said he doesn't regret playing, and, like Durant, he doesn't intend to let that moment become the defining moment of his career. Advertisement Instead, he plans to follow the example of Durant and others in the ever-expanding world of players who have overcome serious injuries to continue playing elite ball. The good news for Haliburton: Medical technology is helping athletes make quicker, more thorough recoveries. While a standard timetable for a return from Achilles injuries remains about 12 months, some NFL players have made it back in as few as nine and in 2023, former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers tried to do the unthinkable by returning for a playoff run less than four months after tearing his Achilles. Rodgers might have tried it — had the Jets been in the playoff hunt. Nobody expects Haliburton, Tatum or Lillard to push it that quickly, especially in a sport where running and jumping are so essential. Even Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has said he doesn't expect Haliburton to play next season. Advertisement Durant didn't return from his June 2019 injury until December 2020. And at least Haliburton and Tatum have one big advantage — age is on their side. 'The intensity and attention to rehabilitation is fantastic and you're also talking about world-class athletes who sometimes recover differently from average individuals,' Borchers said. 'We've seen some really amazing individuals come back from these injuries and with the expertise in rehab and recovery and the work they're putting in, it's pretty amazing to see them come back sooner than what the textbook might say. And there's a big difference between (age) 25 and 39 or 40." ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers bright future becomes much cloudier because of Tyrese Haliburton's injury
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) 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:
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers bright future becomes much cloudier because of Tyrese Haliburton's injury
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) 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:
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers fans gasp at Haliburton's Game 7 injury in NBA Finals before responding to Indiana's effort
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 (0) leaves 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 fans cheer during the second 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 fans react during the second 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 fans react during the second 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 (0) leaves 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 fans cheer during the second 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 fans react during the second 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) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers fans arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse ready to celebrate their first NBA title. Seven minutes into the game came the hush. As star point guard Tyrese Haliburton fell to the floor in Oklahoma City on Sunday night with what his father, John, later called an Achilles tendon injury, fans gasped as the replay was shown and they saw the anguished look on John Haliburton's face. Advertisement The moment may go down as another cruel chapter in the franchise's long, painful history. 'Absolutely not what we wanted to see but you know what he's going to want. He's going to want this team to continue to fight,' Chris Denari, the Pacers' television play-by-play announcer, said to tempered cheers. 'He is the leader of this team. We know what he's meant since he arrived from Sacramento and he's going to need all of our thoughts and prayers, but he is going to want this team to fight and win an NBA title.' The Pacers didn't stay down long. As the Pacers fought through the loss of Haliburton, the near-sellout crowd had raucous reactions to each Pacers 3-pointer, Thunder foul or turnover. Advertisement It is Indiana, after all. But these fans are also plenty familiar with what happened Sunday. Since the ABA powerhouse joined the NBA in 1976-77, it has endured seemingly every imaginable and unimaginable setback: the 1977 telethon that saved the team, the Malice in the Palace that cost Reggie Miller his last title shot, the near-misses against LeBron James more than a decade ago and last year's Eastern Conference finals sweep as the injured Haliburton watched the last two games from the bench. There's also the injury legacy. Danny Granger, Paul George and Victor Oladipo all appeared to be ascending when their careers were derailed by injuries, and now the fear is Haliburton could join that list. Advertisement How painful has it been to be a Pacers fan? Just ask 27-year-old Anthony Brehob, who came dressed in a No. 55 Roy Hibbert jersey and had big expectations before tip-off. "Heartbreaking,' Brehob said, describing the back-to-back conference finals losses to James and the Heat in 2013 and 2014. 'I'm expecting a close game, and I'm really hoping Haliburton pulls it off at the end. If they lose, it's going to be a long night.' The Pacers' effort brought the crowd back into it. Indiana fought through Haliburton's injury, rekindling thoughts of another comeback story from the state that produced 'Hoosiers.' Pregame lines snaked around the arena for more than an hour and with the roaring crowd and familiar soundtracks, it was hard to tell if the first Game 7 in an NBA Finals since 2016 was being played in Indy — or nearly 800 miles away in Oklahoma City. Advertisement 'This is like triple what it was, and they won it that year,' 53-year-old Rick McNeely said after making the journey from Dayton, Ohio, to Indy, comparing this trip to the one he made to Chicago when Michael Jordan won his last title. 'I think it's because this is Indiana.' ___ AP NBA:
