Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Was Told to 'Shut it Down' After Injury in Playoffs Before Achilles Tear

Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The NBA Finals are the most important games in a basketball player’s life. And so, it makes sense why superstar Tyrese Haliburton refused to sit out when he was feeling pain in his calf.

Haliburton revealed on the IMPAULSIVE podcast with Logan Paul that several people urged him to stop playing after he sustained a calf strain during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

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He said the doctors understood how the stakes of playing in the Finals would influence his decision to compete through the injury. 

"I've had calf strains before, and I met with the doctor. He said, 'In the regular season, I would tell you to sit two to three weeks', but it's the Finals," Haliburton said about the diagnosis. "And I'm like, 'What the (expletive)? You think I’m going to sit down?' I'm not going to say who, but I had some close friends, family, and mentors in my life call me after Game 5 and say: 'Hey, shut it down.'"

Haliburton ultimately decided to continue playing and helped the Indiana Pacers force a Game 7. He put up 14 points, five assists and one rebound across 23 minutes.

Haliburton also tried to play in Game 7, hoping to lead the Pacers to their first championship in franchise history. 

But seven minutes into the game, Haliburton went down and tore his Achilles tendon. He did not return to the court, and the Oklahoma City Thunder took home the NBA championship. 

With the injury, Haliburton not only missed out on his first championship but he will also miss all of the 2025-26 season recovering.

Haliburton underwent surgery to repair the tendon in June and has been rehabilitating ever since. He took to X to share a message to Pacers’ fans and the NBA community following the surgery.

Haliburton said he does not regret playing on the calf strain even though the outcome was not what he hoped for.

“Honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don’t regret it. I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special,” Haliburton wrote.

Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.

Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the… pic.twitter.com/UyY0iFEp6Z

— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 24, 2025

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The Pacers will continue to figure out how to navigate next season without Haliburton and hope he comes back better for the 2026-27 season.

For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.