Pacers Receive Brutal Injury Update on Tyrese Haliburton

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton reportedly has a right calf strain, according to ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania.

His status for Game 6 on Thursday is very much in question.

He is set to undergo an MRI, which should determine how serious the injury is and if he can play in the Pacers' elimination game.

Haliburton was clearly compromised in Game 5, struggling to move on the court which led to him scoring 0 points, going 0-6 from the floor as a whole.

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have suffered a strained right calf and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the strain, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4FTIoB1RVU
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2025

His status for Game 6 depends on the results of the MRI, Charania said, though it isn't looking good for him.

"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," the reporter said on ESPN.

While he didn't score, Haliburton still managed to pull down seven rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.

Overall, his performance in Game 5 was flat-out bad, posting a -13 for the game, the lowest +/- other than Obi Toppin.

A mild calf strain takes about two weeks to heal properly, according to the Cleveland Clinic, while a more severe strain could take months to heal.

There are three grades of calf strains: Grade 1 is only a few muscle fibers being torn, Grade 2 is a partial tear, and Grade 3 is a complete tear.

Given he was still able to play in Game 5 despite being injured, it likely isn't a complete tear, meaning his availability will come down to it being Grade 1 or 2.

There is a risk that he could end up completely tearing his calf if he continues to stress and aggravate the injury further.

Haliburton, after the game, made it clear that he is willing to play through the pain.

"It’s the finals, man,” Haliburton said after the game.

“I’ve worked my whole life to be here, and I want to be out there to compete with all my teammates any way I can. I was not great tonight by any means.

“But it’s not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play.”

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