Tyrese Haliburton’s dream of playing in the NBA Finals quickly turned into a nightmare. The Pacers star sustained a serious leg injury in the winner-take-all Game 7, exiting with less than five minutes remaining in the first quarter. He faced fears of tearing his Achilles tendon, a concern confirmed by his father, John Haliburton.

Haliburton didn’t return during the game, opting instead to console his teammates after a heart-wrenching defeat, in which the Pacers lost 103-91 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Following his injury, his coach, Rick Carlisle, did not provide any immediate updates on his condition. NBA fans are well-acquainted with the signs of a torn Achilles, and Haliburton’s visible pain left many worried about the severity of his injury.

Incredibly, he had begun the game strongly with three 3-pointers before it abruptly ended with him visibly distressed on the floor. He was previously playing through a calf strain, and many reflected on the parallels between his situation and that of Kevin Durant, who infamously suffered an Achilles tear following a calf strain in the past playoffs.

In a media interaction pre-game, Haliburton acknowledged the risks involved with competing despite his injury, stating, “I just had to hear that it was OK.” Given that his injury could add him to a list of players suffering similar fates this postseason, such as Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum, fans remain hopeful for a swift recovery.

Coach Carlisle expressed optimism for Haliburton’s future, asserting, “He will be back… I believe he’ll make a full recovery. He authored one of the great individual playoff runs in the history of the NBA.”