{"id":103980,"date":"2025-06-17T04:26:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T04:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/103980\/"},"modified":"2025-06-17T04:26:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T04:26:13","slug":"indiana-pacers-dealt-injury-scare-as-tyrese-haliburton-limps-through-nba-finals-loss-to-oklahoma-city-thunder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/103980\/","title":{"rendered":"Indiana Pacers dealt injury scare as Tyrese Haliburton limps through NBA Finals loss to Oklahoma City Thunder"},"content":{"rendered":"

By OLIVER SALT<\/a> and ASSOCIATED PRESS <\/p>\n

Published: 00:10 EDT, 17 June 2025 | Updated: 00:13 EDT, 17 June 2025 <\/p>\n

An injured Tyrese Haliburton was unable to save the Indiana<\/a> Pacers from defeat in Oklahoma<\/a> as the Thunder moved to within one win of the NBA<\/a> title on Monday night.<\/p>\n

In a loss which has left their championship hopes hanging by a thread, the Pacers superstar grabbed at his lower right leg after an awkward fall in the first quarter and briefly left Game 5 of the NBA Finals for treatment before he eventually returned.<\/p>\n

While he clearly wasn’t right, Haliburton, 25, battled his way through 34 minutes at Paycom Center – largely playing the role of a facilitating decoy in the second half and hardly ever looking to shoot.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He finished with four points, all from the foul line, and the Pacers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> 120-109\u00a0to fall behind 3-2 in the series.<\/p>\n

Haliburton was scoreless at halftime for the first time in 36 career playoff games. He scored his first points on a pair of free throws with 7:07 left in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

And now, the challenge of winning an NBA title gets even tougher for the Pacers. They’re down, and their quarterback is ailing.<\/p>\n

\"An <\/p>\n

An injured Tyrese Haliburton was unable to save the Indiana Pacers from defeat in Oklahoma<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Pacers superstar grabbed at his lower right leg after an awkward fall in the first quarter<\/p>\n

For the first time in these playoffs, they are trailing in a series. It didn’t happen against Milwaukee in Round 1, against Cleveland in Round 2 or against New York in the Eastern Conference finals.<\/p>\n

But Oklahoma City’s win in Game 5 marked the first time Indiana – which had won 10 consecutive games immediately following a loss coming into Monday – has dropped two straight games since mid-March.<\/p>\n

It also makes the math very simple now: The Pacers must win Thursday at home to force a Game 7, then must win in Oklahoma City on Sunday night if they are going to capture an NBA title for the first time.<\/p>\n

Haliburton played 10:04 of the first quarter Monday, then left for the locker room area and emerged with a wrap on his lower leg.<\/a>\u00a0He checked back into the game with 8:27 left in the first half.<\/p>\n

The injury – whatever it is – has been an issue for much of the series. The Indiana guard was clearly limping after Game 2, then said before Game 3 that there wasn’t much to discuss.<\/p>\n

‘I’m fine. Really just a lower leg thing. I’ll leave it at that,’ Haliburton said before Game 3. ‘I don\u00b4t think there’s anything more to elaborate.’<\/p>\n

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle revealed earlier in the series that Haliburton has been experiencing some discomfort, though did not sound overly concerned.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The 25-year-old\u00a0was scoreless at halftime for the first time in 36 career playoff games<\/p>\n

He has started all five games in the series and had seven rebounds and six assists Monday – but missed all six of his shots.<\/p>\n

Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points and MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 for the victorious Thunder.<\/p>\n

It was the 10th – and by far, the biggest – time the Oklahoma City stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists.<\/p>\n

Pascal Siakam had 28 points and TJ McConnell added 18 for the Pacers, who whittled an 18-point deficit down to two in the fourth – then watched the Thunder pull away again, and for good.<\/p>\n

Indiana Pacers<\/a>Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a><\/p>\n

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