On Thursday, with his season on the line, Tyrese Haliburton put his health at risk to keep his championship dream alive. He decided to suit up despite dealing with a calf strain, that is reportedly a two-week injury. Fortunately, the gamble paid off as the point guard’s 14 points and five assists gave Pacers the spark they needed to beat OKC. And tonight, Haliburton is hoping to have the same impact, once again unbothered by his injury heading into the biggest game of his career.

While entering OKC’s Paycom Center for the highly anticipated Game 7, Haliburton had a quick chat with ESPN’s Malika Andrews and confirmed his status for the clash, “Calf’s good. I’m ready to go.” Well, he was initially deemed questionable due to the calf issues, but it’s clear that Tyrese is not going to miss his chance at glory because of the injury. He will suit up tonight.

Even before Game 6, Hali underwent multiple hyperbaric chamber sessions and a strength test just to get his calf going so that he doesn’t have to sit out. “I’d beat myself up if I didn’t give it a chance. I just wanted to be out there and fight… I wanna be out there with my brothers to compete,” he said about playing through the injury. It’s evident how much winning a title matters to him.

What worked in Hali’s favor is that he was on the floor for only 23 minutes during Thursday’s game because his teammates took care of business with their dominant performance. TJ McConnell shared Tyrese’s load amid his injury woes, finishing with 12 points and six assists. That allowed the star guard to get more rest and treatment for tonight’s crucial encounter.

While Tyrese admitted in a recent presser that his calf was still a bit stiff and sore, that will not stop him from living his lifelong dream, “Its exciting man. It’s so so exciting. As a basketball fan, there’s nothing like a Game 7. There’s nothing like a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Dreamed of being in this situation my whole life.” He will try to bring his A game tonight. And he expects his teammates to have the same mindset.

Tyrese Haliburton sends strong message to Pacers locker room before Game 7 vs OKC

Now that Hali has confirmed his availability, he has only one message for his teammates: “I’m excited. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. Message is, keep things the same. It’s just like every other game. Treat it that way. Obviously, a different sense of urgency but I’m looking forward to it.” While there is no denying that this is the biggest game of these young players’ careers, Tyrese Haliburton wants his teammates to treat it like any other game.

Of course, this mindset will help relieve the added pressure of playing in a Game 7 championship clash. As far as Pacers’ strategy goes, Hali remarked, “Just approaching the game the right way. 48 minutes and that decides our season. Just gotta take it one possession at a time and good things will happen.” Well, OKC and Pacers have been neck and neck throughout these Finals, which is why the series is tied.

So, Tyrese knows that what will separate the two teams tonight are the little things. It will come down to who takes care of the ball better, rebounds better, and comes out with more sense of urgency and desperation. They only get one shot at this. One shot at winning this historic game and defining their legacy.

Whose side are you on?