Tyrese Haliburton, point guard for the Indiana Pacers, has a calf injury in his right leg. According to an ESPN report, he was scheduled to go for an MRI scan on Tuesday (June 17) to determine whether he would be able to play in the crucial Game 6 of the NBA Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pacers currently trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Hence, securing a definitive win in the next match becomes important to avoid losing out on the championship title.
A timeline of the injury
Reports of Haliburton’s strained ankle first emerged after Game 2’s news conference, where the player visibly walked in with a limp. It took until Game 3 for the Pacers’ injury team to detect the problem. During Game 5’s crippling loss, Haliburton was visibly limping on the court and there were concerns regarding his return to the playing field after the first quarter. The player came back after much insistence on his part and managed to score four points, add seven rebounds, and dish out six assists in 34 minutes despite his limp.
How will this impact Game 6?
Although the situation is visibly dire, there is still no official confirmation on whether Haliburton will be playing in the upcoming game. "The belief is Tyrese Haliburton has strained his right calf and I'm told he will undergo an MRI to determine the exact severity of this strain. And remember, this is the same leg that he had ankle soreness in last week. He was adamant after Game 5 that he would be playing Thursday, Game 6 of the NBA Finals. It is the NBA Finals but it was described to me today that if this were the regular season or even the first round, there's doubt that he would play,” said Shams Charania of ESPN during a recent appearance on NBA Today.
{{/usCountry}}Although the situation is visibly dire, there is still no official confirmation on whether Haliburton will be playing in the upcoming game. "The belief is Tyrese Haliburton has strained his right calf and I'm told he will undergo an MRI to determine the exact severity of this strain. And remember, this is the same leg that he had ankle soreness in last week. He was adamant after Game 5 that he would be playing Thursday, Game 6 of the NBA Finals. It is the NBA Finals but it was described to me today that if this were the regular season or even the first round, there's doubt that he would play,” said Shams Charania of ESPN during a recent appearance on NBA Today.
{{/usCountry}}The current situation does not seem to look good for the Pacers who are at risk of missing a crucial player during a time of need. The history of players sitting out matches for months on end is quite evident in the NBA with players like Draymond Green, Luka Doncic, and Kristaps Porzingis undergoing the same circumstances. As of now, the situation seems dire for the Pacers but all they can do is wait and hope for the best.
The team is expected to take a final call on the matter once the MRI results are back. Game 6 is scheduled to be played on Thursday (June 19) in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis.
By Stuti Gupta