Pascal Siakam Says Tyrese Haliburton Gave Pacers 'Everything' Before Achilles Injury
Pascal Siakam praised Tyrese Haliburton for giving the Indiana Pacers "everything" by playing on an injured calf in Sunday night's Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury with five minutes left in the first quarter of the Pacers' 103-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"He did some incredible things this whole playoff run, and this year, and I'm just super proud of him, obviously," Siakam said after the Pacers' 103-91 Game 7 loss on Sunday night.
"It hurts, 'cause we couldn't get it done. And I wanted it so bad for him. Because I know that he gave us everything, and it just hurts that he couldn't see it through with us."
Haliburton's postseason was defined by his ability to step up in big moments including a series-clinching overtime layup against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, a game-tying shot that sent Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks to overtime, and a game-winning basket that sealed the Pacers' Game 1 Finals victory over the Thunder.
Despite playing on the injury that had limited him throughout the series, Haliburton looked set for another clutch performance as he scored a trio of three-pointers for nine points in just seven minutes on the court.
Then he went down in pain after a stepback with 4:55 left in the first quarter. His father John Haliburton told ESPN his son had suffered an Achilles injury but was watching the game from the locker room.
Haliburton was seen on crutches after the Pacers' loss, including when he came out into the hallway to greet his teammates as they stepped off the court.
"He was in the locker room, talking to everyone. And just how selfless he is," Siakam said. "He's going through some tough times, and he looked out for us, and he wanted to be there for us.
"It just shows his character and who he is as a player, and one of the big reasons I'm here."
Siakam, who was named MVP for his work against the Knicks the Eastern Conference Finals, was unable to cover for the absence of the Pacers' top playmaker. He went 5-for-13 from the field for 16 points with two assists in the elimination loss.
