The Indiana Pacers find themselves in a tough spot, trailing 0-2 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, and now they face uncertainty regarding the status of their star guard Tyrese Haliburton. The two-time All-Star exited Thursday night’s Game 2 in Boston with a hamstring injury, casting doubt on his availability for the remainder of the series.
Haliburton sustained the injury with just over six minutes left in the third quarter while defending Jayson Tatum. He took an awkward step while trying to slide with Tatum and showed visible pain as he stumbled. Although he briefly continued playing, bringing the ball up the court on Indiana’s next possession, he eventually limped off to the locker room with three minutes left in the quarter and did not return.
Shortly after, the Pacers ruled him out, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Haliburton was suffering from left hamstring soreness. This development is particularly concerning for the Pacers, as Haliburton previously missed 10 games during the regular season due to a hamstring issue.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle provided limited information about Haliburton’s status post-game, noting that the hamstring had been bothering the star point guard at halftime.
The Pacers are hoping for positive updates on Friday, with the series moving to Indiana for Game 3 on Saturday.
In Game 2, Haliburton logged 28 minutes, scoring 10 points and recording eight assists. He had a stellar performance in Game 1, making six three-pointers on his way to 25 points, along with 10 assists, three rebounds, and three steals.
Losing Haliburton for any duration would be a significant setback for the Pacers and an advantage for the Celtics, who previously benefited from the absence of Donovan Mitchell in their second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. If Haliburton is unable to play, the Pacers will depend heavily on Andrew Nembhard (16 points in Game 2) and TJ McConnell (9 points).
Without their star player, the Pacers face an even steeper challenge, needing to win four of the next five games against a Celtics team intent on securing a championship this season.
