INDIANAPOLIS (AP) \u2014 Tyrese Haliburton is going to try to play for the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night while still dealing with a strained right calf.<\/p>\n
Haliburton has been dealing with lower leg issues throughout the series and the calf strain flared up in Game 5 on Monday night. He played through it for the final three quarters of that loss to the Thunder, though he basically stopped looking to shoot in the second half.<\/p>\n
Haliburton finished that game with four points \u2014 all from the foul line \u2014 along with seven rebounds and six assists.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no set minutes limit,\u201d Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday before Game 6. \u201cWe will watch and monitor things very closely … and we\u2019ll go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carlisle said Haliburton went through a walkthrough Thursday afternoon along with strength testing, passing all necessary checks. So, with the Pacers facing elimination in Game 6 and down 3-2 in the title series, Haliburton \u2014 who was on the court and did some shooting not long before Carlisle announced the decision \u2014 planned to give it a shot.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going to play and that\u2019s it,\u201d Carlisle said.<\/p>\n
It was no surprise to the Thunder.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a great player,\u201d Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. \u201cIf there\u2019s one thing we know, you don\u2019t underestimate great players. In this situation, we\u2019re expecting his best punch. Indiana is a great team. We\u2019re expecting their best punch. I have no doubt he\u2019s dealing with stuff, but we\u2019re expecting him to come out and play like a great player would play. We have to prepare for that. That\u2019s how you maintain full respect of the opponent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haliburton acknowledged Wednesday that, if this was the regular season, he likely wouldn\u2019t be attempting to play through such an injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I have to be as smart as I want to be,\u201d Haliburton said. \u201cHave to understand the risks, ask the right questions. I\u2019m a competitor. I want to play. I\u2019m going to do everything in my power to play. That\u2019s just what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haliburton is averaging 17.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and a league-best 9.1 assists per game during the playoffs. He has averaged 15 points, 6.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists per games in the finals.<\/p>\n
He missed the last two games of last season\u2019s playoff run because of a hamstring injury, unable to play in Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the eventual champion Boston Celtics. The Pacers lost by three points in each of those two games without Haliburton, who went on to be part of the team that won a gold medal for the United States at the Paris Olympics later that year.<\/p>\n
Among the many forms of treatment Haliburton has been partaking in since Monday night: hyperbaric treatments, needles, massage, electronic stimulation, even special tape. He\u2019s been doing something virtually around the clock with hopes of being able to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a lot of trust in our medical staff. I have a lot of trust in our organization to make the right decision,\u201d Haliburton said Wednesday. \u201cI think there\u2019s been many situations through the course of my career where they\u2019ve trusted me on my body. … I want to be out there. That\u2019s the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haliburton has come up big for the Pacers in big moments several times in these playoffs.<\/p>\n
His jumper with 0.3 seconds<\/a> left in Game 1 of the finals immediately went into title-series lore and gave the Pacers a 111-110 win<\/a> over the heavily favored Thunder.<\/p>\n And that was just one on a long list of late-game highlights from Haliburton in this playoff run.<\/p>\n Against the Bucks on April 29, it was a layup with 1.4 seconds left<\/a> that capped a rally from seven points down in the final 34.6 seconds of overtime. Final score: Pacers 119, Bucks 118, and that series ended there.<\/p>\n In Cleveland on May 6, it was a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left<\/a> for a 120-119 win \u2014 capping a rally from seven points down in the final 48 seconds. At Madison Square Garden against the Knicks on May 21, a game the Pacers trailed 121-112 with 51.1 seconds left, he hit a jumper with no time left<\/a> to force OT and Indiana won again.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n