Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals saw the Oklahoma City Thunder clinch a monumental championship victory. But for the Indiana Pacers and their fanbase, it was a bittersweet moment, to say the least. That was largely because star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles just seven minutes into the game.
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The injury hit former Warriors star Baron Davis hard as well, because once Haliburton went down, so did Indiana’s hopes.
Haliburton’s playoff run was filled with clutch moments. He delivered either a game-tying or game-winning bucket in every series the Pacers played. Then, in the Finals, he looked ready to cement his legacy. The two-time NBA All-Star opened the game by knocking down three shots from beyond the arc, and it was clear the Thunder had their work cut out for them despite holding home-court advantage. Then came the injury.
The last player in the NBA Finals to suffer a torn Achilles was Kevin Durant with the Warriors. Draymond Green, Baron Davis’ podcast co-host, was on the court when that happened. So when he witnessed the same mishap happen to Haliburton, Green was hit with a bout of unwanted nostalgia.
“You’re not winning without your best player,” Green told Davis (via The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis). “You could put together a decent season, but it ain’t happening.”
Although Durant left the Warriors following the 2019 NBA Finals, Golden State was without Klay Thompson, who was also recovering from an ACL injury and eventually tore his Achilles during rehab. To make matters worse, in the 2019-20 season, Stephen Curry missed most of the year with a broken hand.
Green understands how quickly a team’s future can change once a major injury happens to a star player. He expects the Pacers to feel the unfortunate impact of Haliburton’s absence.
It’s a devastating development for the Pacers and Haliburton, considering how close they were to winning the franchise’s first NBA championship. Baron Davis found himself empathizing with the impact that the injury had on the team and especially on Haliburton.
“I damn near wanted to cry for my bro,” Davis proclaimed. “To not get a chance to finish is heartbreaking, and he deserved it. He fought to a Game 7.”
Haliburton’s injury serves as a stark reminder of just how unforgiving athletically demanding sports can be. This isn’t a feel-good plot for a film. Sometimes the cards simply aren’t dealt in your favor, but that’s just the way things go. Haliburton understood that, which is why he took the risk of playing on a calf strain in hopes the cards would fall his way.
Regardless, this won’t be the last time we hear from the Iowa State alum. Haliburton has beaten the odds his entire career and is ready to do it again, even if he faces a one-year setback.
