Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals had all the makings of a historic showdown. The Indiana Pacers, somewhat of an underdog, were up against the Oklahoma City Thunder, arguably the best team in both the regular season and the playoffs. Yet, thanks to the heroics of Tyrese Haliburton and Co., the Pacers took the battle to the very end. Unfortunately, a late incident derailed their chances and drained the life out of their charge for a first-ever NBA championship.
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Haliburton came out firing on all cylinders last Sunday, drilling three shots from deep just minutes into the first quarter. But a torn Achilles soon left him devastated on the floor. The Pacers fought valiantly to finish the job, but the Thunder ultimately proved too much to handle. OKC won 103-91, leaving many to wonder whether Haliburton’s presence could have written a different ending.
Dwyane Wade, however, had made an interesting prediction even before Haliburton went down. He confidently stated that the Thunder would win by at least 12 points — and that’s exactly what happened. Speaking on the Time Out podcast, the Hall of Famer said he had a clear sense of how the final game would unfold. He had confidence in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder.
In his opinion, the Thunder were going to win regardless of Haliburton’s injury. He said, “No one could’ve called that [Haliburton’s injury] but with Hali or without Hali, this was inevitable.” He did, however, acknowledge the 25-year-old guard’s impact. He pointed out how Indiana clearly missed their star guard after he left the game.
Former college basketball star Chris Johnson, who also appeared on the podcast, echoed a similar sentiment. He compared the point guard to a quarterback — the central figure who orchestrates everything. Even if they’re having an off night offensively, their presence and leadership are invaluable. And that’s exactly what the Pacers lacked once Haliburton went down.
Wade explained that while T.J. McConnell stepped in and tried to take over the playmaking responsibilities, it just wasn’t the same. He compared McConnell’s heavy dribbling style to that of SGA, but emphasized that McConnell isn’t quite at the 2024-25 MVP’s level.
“The ability that Indiana has to have multiple guys to have 14 plus, they kind of lost that as soon as Hali left the game, and TJ just went to the dribble, dribble, dribble game, kind of like Shai. But he is not Shai,” Wade added. Wade didn’t intend to discredit McConnell. He just highlighted that there’s a level of control Haliburton brings that’s hard to replicate.
Haliburton underwent surgery just a day after the gut-wrenching defeat. And although it’s unclear just how long he will be out for, the face of Indiana is expected to miss the most, if not all, of next season.
