Tyrese Haliburton's Calf Injury Worries NBA Fans as Pacers Lose G5, Face Elimination
The Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from an NBA championship.
OKC defeated the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Monday at Paycom Center. It now leads the series 3-2 after overcoming a deficit in crunch time of Game 4 on the road to avoid a 3-1 hole.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unsurprisingly stuffed the stat sheet as the league MVP with 31 points, 10 assists, four blocks and two steals, while Jalen Williams was dominant as far more than just a No. 2 option with 40 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Indiana's star did not match those efforts, as Tyrese Haliburton fought through a calf injury and finished with four points on 0-of-6 shooting from the field and 0-of-4 shooting from deep. Pascal Siakam (28 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks) and T.J. McConnell (18 points, four assists and four rebounds) did what they could, but it wasn't enough given Haliburton's struggles.
Social media had plenty of reaction to No. 0's performance and potential health concerns moving forward:
While the series was tied at two games apiece heading into Monday's contest, momentum was firmly on Oklahoma City's side after the Pacers missed a golden opportunity to seize a commanding 3-1 lead when they collapsed in the fourth quarter of Game 4 at home.
A good start felt imperative for the visitors given that backdrop, but the Thunder jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter as Indiana struggled to protect the ball with seven turnovers in the opening 12 minutes.
It also didn't help that Haliburton went scoreless in the first quarter as OKC continued to swarm him with defenders whenever he looked for his shot. He also temporarily went to the locker room with the injury that seemed to bother him even after he returned.
With Haliburton limping and failing to score, the Thunder built a 14-point halftime advantage. Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander spearheaded the offensive effort as expected, but the Pacers' already daunting task of winning on the road was all the more difficult with role players such as Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace providing a lift off the bench with red-hot shooting.
Yet these playoffs have proved Indiana is never out of a game.
The Pacers came storming back in the third quarter with McConnell leading the way and providing a much-needed lift. The backup point guard showed no fear while lowering his head and driving into the lane, which created shots for himself and others.
McConnell was the engine in the comeback effort, but it was far from a one-man effort, with Siakam hitting threes and attacking the basket off the bounce. His triple with fewer than nine minutes remaining cut what was once an 18-point deficit to two heading into the stretch run.
But there would be no miracle comeback for the Pacers this time.
Lu Dort drilled multiple momentum-swinging three-pointers, but it was Williams and SGA who ensured the Thunder would not lose another game on their home floor. The Pacers had no answer for the superstar tandem, which will now have the opportunity to close out the series in Indiana during Thursday's Game 6.
