Reports: Tyrese Haliburton Undergoes MRI For Right Calf Injury

Shams Charania reported a depressing update for Tyrese Haliburton and Indiana Pacers fans this afternoon.

Reports: Tyrese Haliburton Undergoes MRI For Right Calf Injury

Tyrese Haliburton (Image by FirstSportz)

Tyrese Haliburton had the first playoff game of his career with no field goals in Game 5. The Pacers lost 120-109 to OKC in Oklahoma City and dropped to their first series deficit in this year’s playoffs. They have even worse news for them in store given the latest injury setback to their star point guard and table setter.

Tyrese Haliburton has been nursing a calf injury for a while in this year’s playoffs. He’s been limited in his production during the Finals because of it. His averages of 15 points and 7.2 assists just won’t cut it as he runs into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Pacers need him to be the All-Star, All-NBA caliber that he has proved he can be. They are down to the final two games of their season, and it is absolutely ‘Go Time’ now.

However, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported a depressing update for Pacers fans this morning. The 25-year-old will undergo an MRI scan ahead of the Pacers’ ‘Win or go home’ Game 6. Charania gave out more details of this debilitating injury on NBA Today this Tuesday afternoon following Game 5:

Remember, this is the same leg that he had ankle soreness in last week. He was adamant after Game 5 that he would be playing in Thursday’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals. It is the NBA Finals, but it was described to me today that if this was the regular season, or even the first round, there is doubt that he would play. Once the Pacers and Haliburton get the results back on this MRI, on that calf strain, they’re going to be able to identify the severity and then huddle and map out exactly what the plan will be going into Game 6.

Nearly eight months into the season, there are very few players in the league who reach the NBA Finals without carrying some sort of injury or ailment. While Haliburton is no different, he plays at a position which needs his calf to be at its healthiest. Point guards accelerate and decelerate more than players at other positions. They also do a lot of screen navigation, which strains their feet adversely.

Tyrese Haliburton has had a playoff run for the ages

Irrespective of how the Pacers’ playoff campaign finishes, tales of how Tyrese Haliburton played will be told for years. The team has been counted out in each of the past two series. They were almost even money against the Bucks before Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles tear in the first round.

Tyrese Haliburton did not score a single field goal in Game 5
Tyrese Haliburton did not score a single field goal in Game 5 (Image via Barstool Gambling/X)

Yet, Haliburton has been nothing short of a clutch demon for the Pacers. He helped the Pacers overcome a 7-point deficit in the last 48 seconds of the first round against Milwaukee, hitting the game-winner against Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the second round, he led the Pacers to a 9-point comeback with 1:30 on the game clock in Game 2.

The Pacers then took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals after reaching overtime off an improbable Tyrese Haliburton shot as the game clock expired. Haliburton birthed a new meme by imitating Pacers legend Reggie Miller’s choke at Madison Square Garden. He then followed this up with a game-wining shot with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

This is undoubtedly the most ridiculous run of clutch shots by a player in a single playoff campaign. It will, deservedly, be immortalized.

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