The Indiana Pacers are looking slightly sloppy as of late, and a lot of that has to do with Tyrese Haliburton’s recent injury issues. Now, Haliburton has been playing at an All-Star level the entire season, which has even earned him an All-Star starter spot. He is averaging 22.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 11.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest in the 2023-24 season, while also shooting 49.6% from the field and 39.5% from the three-point line.
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However, that being said, Haliburton hasn’t looked the same since his injury back in January. The Pacers All-Star injured himself while trying to drive to the rim for a finish in a game against the Boston Celtics. But he pulled his hamstring after he slipped trying to pump the brakes suddenly in the paint and had to forcefully do a split. The 23-year-old has been dealing with the issue ever since.
Though Haliburton has returned to the squad, he has been playing limited minutes. In the Pacers’ matchup against the New York Knicks tonight, Haliburton has been listed as ‘questionable’ because of his “left hamstring strain, injury management“, according to the NBA’s February 10 Injury report. Judging by past instances, the two-time All-Star will probably suit up for some restricted minutes at Madison Square Garden.
In Thursday’s contest against the Warriors, Haliburton played 26 minutes in what was a blowout win for the Warriors on Indiana’s home turf. Hali would be rather ineffective during the game, only posting 5 points during his time on the floor.
It’s obvious that Haliburton isn’t functioning at his full strength. With Haliburton being marked as ‘questionable’, fans would definitely want to see him play against the in-form Knicks tonight.
The Pacers need Haliburton
The Indiana Pacers were steamrolling through the East during the start of the season. But ever since Haliburton has gone down, the team has fallen to the sixth spot in the East. The Pacers would have been in a much bigger hole had they not traded for Pascal Siakam before the February deadline.
The Pacers currently hold a record of 29-24, placing them just below the 76ers. Haliburton isn’t necessarily thrilled with his situation, as many have speculated that the Pacers star may be pushing himself to play to meet the NBA’s new 65-game rule.
Having already missed 13 games this season, Haliburton is certainly close to missing out on All-NBA honors this season. However, the star guard has to also be careful not to worsen his injury before the postseason.
