What Happened to Tyrese Haliburton? Pacers Superstar in Miserable Condition During Game 7 vs OKC

Tyrese Haliburton gave Game 7 everything he had—and sadly, maybe even more than his body could take. With just under five minutes left in the first quarter of the biggest game of his life, Tyrese made a routine drive toward the rim… and then, disaster. He tried to plant his foot, slipped awkwardly with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander closing in, and immediately hit the floor. No contact. No foul. Just sheer agony. He didn’t even try to get up—just started pounding the hardwood like a man who knew his season was over.

The Pacers called a timeout. Trainers rushed over. And the life visibly drained from Indiana’s bench faster than T.J. McConnell’s pull-up.

Tyrese, who was already battling a nagging right calf strain since Game 5, had hit three monster threes early in the quarter, silencing anyone who thought he’d just be a decoy. His stepbacks were smoother than Kyle Lowry’s veteran discounts, and his playmaking? Crisp. Efficient. Classic Tyrese. In just 7 minutes, the man had 9 points on 3-of-5 shooting (3-of-4 from deep), helping Indiana stay neck-and-neck with OKC in a chaotic opening stretch.

Then the leg gave up. Maybe calf. Maybe Achilles. But either way, it wasn’t good. And everyone in the building—including SGA—knew it. The Thunder star, locked into MVP mode himself, still found a second to stop by Haliburton and say something before returning to the bench. You don’t see that in the Finals unless it’s serious.

Shortly before halftime, it was reported that Tyrese, with a ‘Lower leg injury’ would not return.

Let’s call a screen a screen: without Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers’ offense turns into a pickup game at 24 Hour Fitness. Through the remainder of the quarter, they mustered just 22 total points on 8-of-21 shooting. That’s 38% from the floor, folks. We’re talking “Josh Smith from three” levels of efficiency.

Here’s how the rest of the team looked in the wake of Tyrese’s early exit: Pascal Siakam: Looked ready to go full “Board Man Gets Paid” mode—7 points in 10 minutes, 3-of-6 shooting. But can he carry both the scoring load and handle? Andrew Nembhard: Had 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 7 minutes and might have to channel his inner Malcolm Brogdon real quick. TJ McConnell: Great hustle, decent ball-handling, but right now looks like he’s leading a bake sale, not a Finals offense. Obi Toppin: 4 points in 7 minutes. We’re not saying he’s on cardio duty, but someone check if his jersey is dry.

The timing of this injury? Unbelievably cruel. Tyrese Haliburton was playing some of his smartest basketball in the postseason. After limping through Game 5, he returned in Game 6 with 14 huge points and floor general vibes that would’ve made Chris Paul proud. He was the engine of this Indiana offense, averaging 17.7 points, 5.6 boards, and 9 assists per playoff game.

And Game 7 was shaping up to be his moment.

Instead, Tyrese was helped off the court—literally carried, unable to put any weight on his leg. A towel was draped over his head. No cameras needed—we all knew what that meant. The last time we saw something this heartbreaking in a Finals setting was Kevin Durant’s 2019 Achilles tear.

What does this mean for the Tyrese-less Pacers now

Let’s not sugarcoat it: this is a nightmare scenario for Indiana. The Pacers were already underdogs in this series, now trailing 34–22 after one quarter, and OKC has never lost back-to-back playoff games at home. Without Tyrese? That underdog status just turned into “someone needs to update their NBA 2K sliders.”

Now, it’s all up to Siakam, Nembhard, Turner, and the role players to somehow stabilize the ship. Pascal has been brilliant in this series—averaging 20 PPG and saving the day in Game 5—but now he’s being asked to do everything short of driving the team bus.

Coach Rick Carlisle’s going to have to go deep into his jazz-piano brain to draw up an offense that doesn’t collapse like an overcooked soufflé.

Even Lakers legend LeBron James took to social media within minutes of Haliburton going down, expressing heartbreak at the scene. It’s a reminder of just how respected Tyrese is around the league—both for his skills and his pure joy for the game.

And now? It’s a wait-and-see mode. No official update has come from the Pacers’ camp yet, but all signs point to a serious injury—likely Achilles. If so, the road back will be long, painful, and frustratingly unfair for one of the league’s brightest stars.

Tyrese Haliburton didn’t just give his all in Game 7—he gave more than he should’ve had to. And while the scoreboard will ultimately decide this NBA Finals, his early heroics and gut-wrenching exit are already the emotional peak of the night.

Let’s hope this isn’t the last we see of Haliburton as a playoff centerpiece. He deserves a better ending to what’s been a breakout year for both himself and the Indiana Pacers.

Get well soon, Tyrese. The league feels a little less fun without you.