Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (R) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Photo by Maneula Soldi/EPA-EFE
All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton was slowed by a calf injury and failed to make a field goal in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, but plans to play through the issue in Game 6 as the Indiana Pacers try to avoid elimination.
The Pacers star provided an update on the injury early Tuesday morning after the 120-109 setback to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday in Oklahoma City. Haliburton went 0 for 6 from the field — failing to make a field goal in a playoff game for the first time in his career.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle that Haliburton insisted he could continue to play when the two spoke at halftime.
“I mean, it’s the NBA Finals,” Haliburton said at his postgame news conference. “It’s the Finals, man. I’ve worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete. Help 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. They understand that. And it is what it is.
“Got to be ready to go for Game 6.”
Haliburton appeared to aggravate his right calf in the first quarter and returned in the second with a wrap over the area. He sustained an ankle injury in the same leg earlier in the series. His 34:09 of action were his fewest minutes of the series.
Haliburton averaged 17.8 points, 7.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game through the first four games of the NBA Finals. He made an average of 7.3 field goals, including 2.5 3-pointers, per appearance to start the series.
He went 0 for 5, including 0 for 4 from 3-point range, and failed to score through the first half of Monday’s loss. Haliburton scored his first points with two free throws 4:53 into the second half.
“He’s not a 100%,” Carlisle said. “It’s pretty clear. But I don’t think he’s going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half.
“But he’s not a 100%. There’s a lot of guys in the series that aren’t.”
The Pacers (2-3) will host the Thunder (3-2) in Game 6 of the best-of-seven game series at 8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday in Indianapolis.
