Game 7 of the NBA Finals was supposed to be a crowning moment for Indiana’s young core. Instead, it turned tragic just minutes into the first quarter. Tyrese Haliburton, the heart of the Pacers’ playoff run, went down with a non-contact injury.
As fans held their breath, cameras caught his father, John Haliburton, visibly emotional courtside. The moment was already difficult to process, but then came the words that confirmed the worst, straight from his father himself.
John Haliburton Confirms Achilles Injury After Son’s Early Exit
Tyrese had already been playing through a right calf strain in the Finals. But on Sunday, June 22, with just under seven minutes left in the first quarter reaching halfway, the Pacers star slipped and immediately reached for his lower leg. After being helped off the floor by teammates and limping to the locker room, uncertainty filled the arena.
Then came the confirmation no one wanted to hear. As per his father, Tyrese is suffering from Achilles injury.
“Tyrese Haliburton’s dad, John, tells @saltersl that his son has an Achilles injury and is watching the game from the locker room in good spirits,” reported ESPN.
Tyrese Haliburton’s dad, John, tells @saltersl that his son has an Achilles injury and is watching the game from the locker room in good spirits. pic.twitter.com/hmP206jamK
— ESPN (@espn) June 23, 2025
The update may have ended the hopes of a Game 7 return, but its implications run deeper. An Achilles injury, one of the most feared in sports, almost certainly rules Haliburton out for most, if not all, of next season.
That reality only adds to the emotional weight of Sunday night. A fan favorite and rising star, Haliburton had become the engine of Pacers’ resurgence. Losing him in the biggest game of the year, and possibly for the entire next season, is devastating.
Despite the injury, Haliburton had scored nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from deep before his exit.
Concerns Grow Over NBA’s Mounting Achilles Injuries After Halliburton’s Game 7 Exit
Tyrese isn’t the only star to suffer a significant Achilles injury during these playoffs. If his diagnosis holds, he’ll become the third marquee name this postseason to go down with that very injury, joining Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard and Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
Jared Weiss of The Athletic reacted immediately, posting:
“This could be the third star to injure his Achilles in this postseason run if that is indeed what just happened to Haliburton. This is a devastating trend for the NBA, and substantial evaluation at the league level is needed to understand why this keeps happening. It’s just heartbreaking.”
This could be the third star to injure his Achilles in this postseason run, if that is indeed what just happened to Haliburton. This is a devastating trend for the NBA that is going to need a substantial evaluation at the league level to understand why this keeps happening. It’s…
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) June 23, 2025
Others echoed similar concerns. Celtics beat writer John Karalis wrote:
“Stop allowing guys to play through calf strains.”
Stop allowing guys to play through calf strains. https://t.co/AApZ6ugyrt
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@John_Karalis) June 23, 2025
In Haliburton’s case, he was already listed as questionable due to the injury and had chosen to play through it. Now, questions are being asked loudly about how the league handles player health in high-stakes scenarios.
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Haliburton Sr., who’s been a vocal and visible supporter of his son, was captured courtside struggling to hold back tears as Tyrese was escorted off the floor.
