Tyrese Haliburton 'Probably' a GTD vs. Thunder for G6 with Calf Injury, Says Pacers HC
Tyrese Haliburton will "probably" be a game-time decision for the Indiana Pacers' must-win Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, head coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday morning.
"He is going to be carefully evaluated over the next thirty-six hours and will likely be listed as questionable on the injury report," Carlisle said in an appearance on Indianapolis radio station 107.5 The Fan.
Carlisle continued, "We have to prepare for two scenarios: one where he plays, and one where he does not."
Haliburton made it know that he's going to "do everything in my power to play" in Game 6:
Haliburton went 0-for-6 from the field and finished with four points, all from the foul line, during the Pacers' Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that Haliburton was scheduled to undergo an MRI on what was believed to be a strained right calf.
Carlisle appeared notably less confident in Haliburton's availability two days after his Monday media availability, when he told reporters the Pacers star was "not 100 percent, it's pretty clear, but I don't think he's going to miss the next game."
Haliburton appeared to be in pain after an awkward fall in the first quarter of Game 5. He returned in the second quarter with a wrap on his right lower leg and what Pacers PR described as "lower leg tightness."
Haliburton has a recent history of leg injuries reportedly dating back to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He has been most recently struggling with a leg injury since at least Game 2 of the championship series against the Thunder, after which he appeared to limp away from media availability.
Haliburton later told reporters that he was dealing with a "lower leg thing" but would be "ready to go" for Game 3.
If Haliburton is unable to play in Game 6, the Pacers will likely hand his spot in the rotation to T.J. McConnell, who scored 18 points off the bench in Indiana's Game 5 loss.
Whether or not Haliburton is able to go, the Pacers will need big performances from players like McConnell and Eastern Conference Finals MVP Pascal Siakam in order to force the Thunder to Game 7 after falling behind in the championship series with two straight losses.
