On January 12, the Pacers picked up a huge 108-93 victory over the NBA’s best Cleveland Cavaliers. However, amid the celebration, the team faced underlying issues. All-NBA guard, Tyrese Haliburton, sat out the entire second half due to left hamstring tightness. Fans began to worry about the severity of Haliburton’s injury. Fortunately for the Pacers, head coach Rick Carlisle provided a positive update regarding their franchise player.
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Haliburton only played 19 minutes before the hamstring discomfort kept him out for the rest of the game. He didn’t look the best when on the court, as he finished with two points and five assists with a net rating of -14. Ahead of a rematch between the Cavaliers and Pacers, Carlisle revealed the likelihood of Haliburton suiting up is improbable. However, there is some good news. He said,
“It’s possible (he plays tonight), but very unlikely. The good news is don’t believe it’s serious.”
Positive report on Haliburton this morning from Carlisle.
That it’s initially being ruled “hamstring soreness” rather than a “strain” is a huge positive. https://t.co/DAHei8jKff
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) January 14, 2025
Luckily for the Pacers, the ruling of the injury is hamstring tightness rather than a strain. Therefore, the timetable for return is much faster. There is a slight chance that Haliburton is able to play, but the Pacers will certainly take every cautionary step.
After all, Haliburton has dealt with lingering injuries to his left hamstring stemming from the 2023-24 NBA season.
Haliburton’s hamstring injury history
In the 2023-24 season, Haliburton propelled to one of the best players in the NBA. However, following the In-Season Tournament, the two-time All-Star’s production slowly declined. This was in large part due to Haliburton suffering from a left hamstring injury twice.
The flair-up of the injury forced the Pacers star to miss 10 games in January. He then went on to miss the last two games of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. In comparison to this season, Haliburton’s health has been one of his best traits. He has not missed a single game yet, but that is about to change soon.
The Pacers are a deep team capable of picking up the slack with Haliburton out of the lineup. They showed this resilience in the Eastern Conference Finals as well as their recent win against the Cavs. Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard stepped up, finishing the game with 19 points and four rebounds. His production will certainly increase as the team will require him to take on a bigger offensive burden.
This is a crucial part of the season for the Pacers. They are 22-18 on the season as they sit at the fifth seed. However, they are only one game ahead of the Pistons from falling to the eighth seed. Indiana looks to add to their ongoing six-game win streak and continue their winning ways.
