The Indiana Pacers came up short on Sunday in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The Pacers lost to the younger and more dynamic Oklahoma City Thunder team in a hard-fought seven-game series.
More Pacers news: Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Gets Confirmation on Severity of Leg Injury
Game 7 was one that was supposed to be for the ages; however, things turned sideways for the Pacers as they lost their best player and star guard, Tyrese Haliburton, to an Achilles injury. ESPN’s Shams Charania shared the news on Monday.
Haliburton suffered the injury inside the first eight minutes of the game. While his team did its best to stay afloat, it wasn’t enough to come out on top.
It was a devastating blow for Indiana, as it not only impacted the game but it will also impact the team next season. In the meantime, the Pacers fans did their part to show support for their All-Star guard.
Watch as a ton of Pacers fans showed up at the airport to cheer on Haliburton.
Haliburton had to be carried off the floor, unable to put any weight on his right leg. With the official diagnosis now in, the severity of the injury matches what many feared — a blow that not only altered the course of Game 7, but could shape the Pacers’ plans for next season as well.
The 25-year-old came out firing, putting up nine quick points on 3-of-5 shooting — all from beyond the arc — and looked poised to deliver one of his best games of the season. For a moment, it felt like we were about to witness a signature performance from a player who’d battled inconsistency and injury throughout the playoffs.
After a rough showing in Game 5, Haliburton bounced back in Game 6 and seemed locked in from the jump in the finale. But the injury changed everything. The Pacers lost their engine, their spark, and despite their fight, it proved to be a mountain too steep to climb.
The Pacers are now 0-for-2 in their Finals appearances, having reached this year’s Finals after a 25-year drought. As things stand, the Pacers are not favored to win their conference again, as they hold the fifth-best odds of winning the East.
Indiana is a resilient bunch, but it may be too much for them, especially as they’ll likely be without Haliburton for the entire season.
More NBA news: NBA Receives Strong Warning Following Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles Injury
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