In Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the conductor of the Indiana Pacers’ offense — guard Tyrese Haliburton — went down with an injury against the Oklahoma City Thunder that was later described as a calf strain. He suffered the injury in the first quarter of the contest, and even though he returned to the floor in the second quarter, he seemed to be quite hampered by the issue.
Haliburton tied a playoff career-low with just four points and didn’t convert a single field goal in Game 5, as he went 0-of-6 from the field and 0-of-4 from 3-point range.
Before Game 6, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Haliburton passed a strength test and would suit up despite dealing with a “multi-week injury.”
But when former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Eddie Johnson saw the way Haliburton was moving in Game 6, he started to question the nature of the guard’s injury.
I am watching T Haliburton and feeling like the @Pacers just pulled the ultimate Sting on us and OKC in the first half. Dude moving like it’s the first game of the season! 😂😂
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) June 20, 2025
No way you can move like that on a multi Week calf strain. The Pacers Stung us all! 😂 https://t.co/hEyd4o2DCP
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) June 20, 2025
With the Pacers’ season on the line and the team one loss away from their title hopes coming to an end, Haliburton played at the top of his game across the first two quarters of Game 6. He played around 16 minutes in that span and found his 3-point shot once again, as he buried three of his five shots from deep.
Haliburton was his usual terrific self from a playmaking standpoint as well, considering he dished out four assists compared to zero turnovers in the first half alone.
The 25-year-old’s excellent play in the first half was crucial to the Pacers keeping their season alive, as Indiana never looked back in the final two frames after Haliburton helped the team build a big lead.
He wasn’t needed as much in the second half, allowing him to finish the game with around 23 minutes of playing time, something Indiana must be happy about.
It’s possible that adrenaline (and perhaps some modern medicine) helped Haliburton put together the performance he had, as Thursday night’s contest was probably the biggest game of his young life so far.
Pacers fans are hoping that they will see a similar version of Haliburton when the Pacers and Thunder do battle in Sunday’s Game 7 of the championship series. Sunday will mark the first Game 7 of an NBA Finals series since the year 2016.
