With the Indiana Pacers facing elimination in the 2025 NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton’s health has emerged as the central concern ahead of Game 6.
The All-Star guard is scheduled to undergo an MRI on a right calf strain after aggravating the injury during Monday’s 120-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The result dropped Indiana into a 3-2 deficit in the series, with Game 6 set for Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Haliburton appeared to tweak the leg during a drive in the first quarter. He exited briefly before returning in the second quarter with the calf wrapped, playing 34 minutes but showing visible signs of limitation.
Tyrese Haliburton Injured in Game 5 Loss
Haliburton finished with just four points—all on free throws—while missing all six of his field goal attempts. He added seven rebounds and six assists but struggled to generate the pace and movement that usually fuels Indiana’s offense.
After the game, Haliburton said the thought of not playing never crossed his mind.
“It’s the NBA Finals. It’s the Finals, man,” Haliburton said. “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. I was not great tonight by any means, but it was not really a thought to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play.”
He declined to go into detail about the injury.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Really just a lower leg thing. I’ll leave it at that. I don’t think there’s anything more to elaborate.”
Indiana committed 23 turnovers in the loss, leading to 32 points for the Thunder. Without Haliburton operating at full speed, the Pacers lacked rhythm offensively and were frequently disrupted by Oklahoma City’s pressure defense.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton is far from full strength and emphasized the difficulty of sitting players under these circumstances.
“[Haliburton’s] not a hundred percent,” Carlisle said. “There’s a lot of guys in the series that aren’t.
“This is a lifetime opportunity. Not many guys are going to sit, even if they are a little banged up. If you’re injured, that’s a different story. But we’ll evaluate everything with Tyrese and see how he wakes up tomorrow.”
Tyrese Haliburton says he’s going to play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, saying he’s waited his whole life for this.
Here he is walking off with a limp. pic.twitter.com/yLIbz5oNw2
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 17, 2025
Oklahoma City Thunder Capitalize, Take Series Lead
The Thunder took control early, building a 14-point lead by halftime and maintaining the advantage with timely responses in the second half.
Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting, including a dagger three-pointer in the fourth quarter that halted a Pacers rally. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points, 10 assists, four blocks and two steals in another standout two-way performance.
Indiana cut an 18-point deficit to two early in the fourth quarter, led by Pascal Siakam and T.J. McConnell. But the Thunder responded with an 18-4 run to close out the game.
Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, while McConnell added 18 off the bench, including 13 in the third quarter. Still, Indiana could never overcome its early miscues and the absence of Haliburton’s usual playmaking.
NBA Finals Outlook Entering Game 6
Haliburton is averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 assists and 6.2 rebounds on 45% shooting in the Finals. His ability to control tempo and facilitate Indiana’s offense has been a defining factor in the team’s playoff run.
The team expects to re-evaluate him based on how he responds overnight and once MRI results are available. Carlisle said decisions would be based on health, but noted that players often push through at this stage of the season.
With the Pacers’ season on the line, Haliburton’s availability looms large. If he’s able to play and recover some explosiveness, Indiana could force a Game 7. If not, the Thunder are positioned to secure their first NBA championship.
