The Indiana Pacers’ star guard Tyrese Haliburton had a terrible Game 5 of the NBA Finals. After hitting crucial and clutch shots in many of the games throughout the postseason, Haliburton struggled as the Oklahoma City Thunder choked him.
In the first half of the game, he sustained a terrifying injury, which made him check out to the locker room, clutching his leg, pain visible on his face. Although he checked back into the game with a wrap tied around his leg, he just wasn’t himself. And as per ESPN announcer Kendrick Perkins, Hali was scared.
Was Tyrese Haliburton Really Scared?
While it is up for debate, Kendrick Perkins set off a major debate by saying Haliburton appeared scared after the injury.
“Sit him down,” Perkins said. “Well, sit him down, because I don’t want to hear any excuses. If you’re on the floor, you need to produce. This is the NBA Finals. This is Game 5. And to be honest, before he went down with the calf injury, he looked scared. He looked scared to death.”
The way Kendrick Perkins be talking, you would think he had a Hall of Fame career and he had 30 point games while playing through injuries. Now you questioning Halisburton heart because he’s hurt. pic.twitter.com/gnzbVCiPd5
— Jaguar Paw (@sirdibbydukes) June 17, 2025
Adding to Perkins’ opinion was Stephen A. Smith, who took the entire “scary” argument a step further. He awkwardly added that he was ‘glad’ to see Haliburton hurt.
“Bottom line is this: Halliburton’s looked awful and I’m glad he’s injured,” Smith said. He then went on to immediately clarify, “I’m not trying to be mean. I’m just trying to be factual. He. Looks. Bad. He was not active. He was not aggressive … I totally agree with Big Perks. Sit him down. Get him ready for Game 6. Because he’s a minus 16 on the floor. He ain’t helping the team!”
Haliburton was visibly limping right in the first quarter of the game, and then headed to the locker room. After coming back, NBA insider Shams Charania reported he dealt with tightness in the right calf.
His calf issue has been impacting him since the first game of the series, although on Monday, it was the worst as he went 0-for-5 from the field in the first half. This was not just a simple issue that blocked Hali from performing; it was a strike right in the Pacers’ offense.
This injury dampens the Pacers’ chances of winning a title, as OKC now leads the series 3-2. Game 6 will come hard at Haliburton, as he will have to force a Game 7 to clinch the Larry O’Brien.
The only good thing to come out of Game 6 is the fact that it will take place in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. So, even if Haliburton might struggle, he will have his support system to rely on.
