Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Plays Through Calf Injury in Game 5 Loss, Faces Elimination

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton played through a painful right calf injury during Game 5 of the NBA Finals, despite visibly struggling and scoring no field goals in the 120-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which put the Pacers down 3-2 in the series. Haliburton briefly left the game for treatment but returned with his leg wrapped, finishing with four points, six assists, and seven rebounds while serving mostly as a facilitating decoy. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged Haliburton was not 100 percent but expected him to play in Game 6, emphasizing the players' determination in this lifetime opportunity. Haliburton himself expressed a strong will to compete, stating, "If I can walk, then I want to play," underscoring his commitment despite the injury and the high stakes. The Thunder capitalized on Indiana's struggles, particularly with Jalen Williams scoring 40 points, and Indiana's ball movement faltered with 23 turnovers. With the series now on the line, the Pacers must win the next two games to claim their first NBA title.