Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers could not pull off another miracle as the Thunder bounced back from the Game 1 loss with an emphatic win in Game 2. They beat the Pacers 123-107 after leading for almost the entire game.
Following the game, Tyrese Haliburton spoke to the media in his post-game press conference. In a concerning sighting after the conference, Haliburton was seen limping off the podium and heading towards the locker room.
Tyrese Haliburton with a noticeable, slight limp arriving and leaving his press conference. pic.twitter.com/nJkqxwPBoj
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) June 9, 2025
Haliburton, despite leading all scorers for the Pacers with 17 points, had a rather forgettable game. He recorded five turnovers in the game today, which was unlike his usual performance. However, this limp will be a much bigger concern for the Pacers if it in any way impacts his performance and availability for Game 3.
While no official sources have confirmed anything on the potential injury, fans are already having a roller coaster of reactions. Some were very worried about the Pacers’ star guard, while some thought he was making an excuse. They took to social media and expressed their opinions.
“I’m sick,” wrote a frustrated Pacers fan on X.
“Hope our guy is okay #YesCers,” wrote a concerned Pacers fan.
“He’ll be fine,” wrote an NBA fan who was clearly in denial of the Pacers star’s potential injury.
“Sacrificing a pint of blood for his leg health rn,” wrote a fan hilariously in reference to the black magic jokes among the NBA fans after the Pacers’ recent form of comebacks down the stretch in the Playoffs. This started mainly after Haliburton’s dagger to settle Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
“Pretending to create an excuse for his embarrassing performance,” wrote a skeptical NBA fan on X who felt that Haliburton is not really injured.
“You gotta be kidding,” wrote a Pacers fan in dismay on X.
“When will the pain end,” wrote a distraught Pacers fan on X.
“Lu Dort prolly did this”, accused a fan on X, looking at the Thunder player’s history of gritty plays prone to causing injury.
What Does This Mean For Haliburton And The Pacers?
Headed into Game 3 at home, the Pacers got a reality check in Game 2 for why the Thunder were widely the favorites to bag this series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander balled out for the Thunder with 34 points, but it was the offense generated by the bench with Aaron Wiggins and Alex Caruso that became the backbreaker for the Pacers.
The Pacers will hope that this limp does not turn into a serious cause of concern for Haliburton’s availability in the next game. Haliburton has averaged 18.4 points, 9.3 assists, and 5.8 rebounds in 18 games in the 2025 playoffs so far.
Rick Carlisle’s style of offense for the Pacers makes it clear that it is not overtly dependent on a single player to generate offense. But rather, it’s a team effort from the Pacers. Haliburton had 17 points to lead all scorers, but seven players scored in double digits for the Pacers.
If Haliburton does sit out the next game or two, it will be the next man up approach for the Pacers. But if it were to happen, could the Pacers manage to beat the Thunder without Haliburton? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
