For much of the NBA Finals or even the entire playoffs, the Indiana Pacers have been the underdog team, making comebacks and stunning opponents. However, on Friday, the roles were reversed as the Thunder rallied their way to a 111-104 win, coming back from a double-digit deficit. With it, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. tied the series at 2-2. Now, as the Finals head back to Oklahoma City, the first-seeded Thunder are favorites to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. However, the Pacers know the feeling of being the underdog all too well.

Keeping that in mind, the Pacers will need all of their players, including Tyrese Haliburton, at the top of their game. But is the superstar point guard available for tonight’s clash? If you’re not aware, Haliburton was feeling “discomfort” with a “lower leg thing” ahead of Game 3. While he then did participate in the game and even led his team to a win, scoring 22 points along with nine rebounds and eleven assists, the lower leg issue is still a huge worry for the franchise. So, what’s the 25-year-old’s current status?

Well, there’s good news for Indiana fans. That’s because Haliburton is not on the injury report, indicating his availability for this crucial clash at the Paycom Center. This is huge! We all know that the 25-year-old All-Star guard has been the spearhead of this Pacers team, and having him tonight will give them a major boost. We mean, his postseason stats speak for themselves. He’s averaging a stunning 18.6 points along with 9.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds in the playoffs. Some stat line that is, for sure!

Not to mention, his clutch shooting ability has been a huge reason why the Pacers are here in the first place. However, despite having Haliburton, it’s not all good for the Pacers, as they’ll miss a couple of players for Game 5. This includes Isaiah Jackson, who’s been out with an Achilles injury that he suffered earlier during the season. Meanwhile, the other Indiana player to miss tonight’s action is 21-year-old Jarace Walker. The Pacers’ No. 5 was having a solid season, averaging 6.1 points and 3.1 rebounds until he sustained an ankle injury.

It’s due to the ankle injury that Walker will not be able to suit up tonight. Apart from Walker and Jackson, the Pacers are pretty lucky in the injury department, especially after surviving the Tyrese Haliburton scare. However, this brings a huge question to the table: how will Rick Carlisle’s team line up for this must-win road game?

Indiana Pacers’ predicted starting five for Game 5 of the NBA Finals

“Hey, the Pacers might actually do this.” That’s what the Indiana Pacers fans thought when their team established a comfortable 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter on Friday, only to be stunned. A 3-1 lead would surely have given them the confidence to finish the series in five and claim the NBA championship. Now, Haliburton and the Pacers will have to do it the hard way. Nonetheless, they’ll be relieved that their point guard is with them and not in the stands. Keeping that in mind, Rick Carlisle will most likely stick to his starting five, and why shouldn’t he?

So, here’s how the Pacers can start:

While the Pacers have managed to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder at bay for most of this series, time’s running out for them. That’s because the Thunder will be feeling great heading back to their home court with the series tied. Although Tyrese Haliburton’s legend has grown throughout this postseason, he’ll have to pull off something really special to regain the upper hand in this series.

That’s because OKC is 44-8 at the Paycom Center, including playoffs. So, Indiana will stun the Thunder once again. Will they be able to? We’re about to find out.