How Serious Is Pacers's Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury? Here’s the Latest

The 2025 NBA Finals are underway, and just as the Indiana Pacers were starting to gain some momentum as potential top contenders, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered an injury. During Game 5 of the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 16, he went down in the first quarter while making his way to the basket and was seen clutching his leg.

Although he was cleared to return in the second quarter and play through the remainder of the game, with his calf wrapped, the concern quickly grew, as it clearly affected his performance. Given that the Pacers haven’t made it to the Finals since 2000, losing a key player like Tyrese is a big deal. Naturally, fans are now looking for an injury update to find out just how serious it is. Here’s what we know.

Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton confirmed he suffered a right calf strain after undergoing an MRI on June 17, according to ESPN. The outlet reported that he’s trying just about every method under the sun to treat the injury and get back on the court.

From hyperbaric chambers to needles, massages, electronic stimulation, and special tape, Tyrese is doing it all in hopes of being ready to compete in the NBA Finals, the outlet noted, something he says he’s worked his entire life for.

“It’s the Finals, man. I’ve worked my whole life to be here, and I want to be out there to compete, help my teammates any way I can. If I can walk, I want to play,” Tyrese said during a press conference following Game 5.

While Tyrese has made it clear he’s committed to helping his team push through the Finals — and hopefully win — Pacers coach Rick Carlisle explained, per ESPN, "He is going to be carefully evaluated over the next 36 hours and will likely be listed as questionable on the injury report and probably will be a game-time decision for Game 6.”

Tyrese, however, remains optimistic. "I have a lot of trust in our medical staff. I have a lot of trust in our organization to make the right decision," he said. "I think there's been many situations through the course of my career where they've trusted me on my body ... I want to be out there. That's the plan."

That said, if at any point Coach Carlisle decides Tyrese isn’t able to handle the strain, there’s a plan in place to move forward without him, which clearly isn’t the outcome anyone wants.

For now, Tyrese was able to get through practice on June 18, though it wasn’t as demanding as usual. ESPN noted the session included 25 minutes of film (which involved just sitting), a 30-minute walk-through, and “some light shooting,” most of which he did “flat-footed.” The team will continue to monitor him closely to determine whether the injury will ultimately hold him back.