Shock in the NBA final
Superstar Haliburton is seriously injured – and has to get out early
Updated on June 23, 2025 – 03:55 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The decision in the NBA final is made without one of the most important players. In the first quarter, an injury to Tyrese Haliburton tears a gap into the game of the Pacers.
Shock moment in the early minutes: In the decisive game 7 of the NBA finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, superstar Tyrese Haliburton had to leave the parquet-with a serious injury.
The scene takes place at around five minutes in the first quarter: Haliburton, playmaker of the Indiana Pacers, suddenly goes down to a speed run against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The 24-year-old screams, lies on the hall floor with a face of pain and hits the parquet with his fist. By faring and medical staff react immediately, forming a circle around the player.
When transported from the hall, Haliburton can no longer burden his right leg. Tears accompany his way into the cabin – the dismay is also visible in the audience ranks, and even Haliburton’s father is visibly struggling with the emotions.
A short time later, initial reports on the cause: According to the Pacers, the Pacers’ information is an “injury to the right leg”. Haliburton’s father later confirmed to ESPN that his son suffered the Achilles tendon tear.
Haliburton had already scored nine points until his failure, including three successful three -point throws. During the quarter break, Haliburton’s teammate Myles Turner commented on the US broadcaster Espn: “That breaks my heart! But we will do everything we can to give him this victory.”
At the time of the injury, the game was still completely open – but the failure of the key player not only changed the dynamics in the field, but also the emotional atmosphere of the game.
Haliburton’s commitment was not a matter of course anyway: Already in game 5 of the final series, he suffered a stubborn calf injury that would have required a forced break of two weeks. But Paris’s Olympic champion fought back, despite complaints, was on the floor again.
The current scene is reminiscent of many observers of Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon tear in the 2019 NBA finals-even then a calf injury had preceded it.
Numerous prominent voices were affected by Haliburton’s injury on the social media-including LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes and other NBA colleagues, he wished him a speedy recovery.