In what was expected to be a defining night for the Indiana Pacers, the franchise was dealt a major blow in the opening minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has been at the heart of Indiana’s postseason run, exited the game with a non-contact right leg injury during the first quarter.
The incident occurred as Haliburton attempted to maneuver past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the top of the key, only to go down immediately clutching his leg in visible pain.
Haliburton, who had already made his presence felt by scoring nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range, had to be helped off the floor as he was unable to put weight on his right leg.
The Pacers’ bench stood in silence, and the Paycom Center crowd was stunned into quiet. Myles Turner, visibly shaken, rallied the team in a huddle shortly after the injury, reportedly asking his teammates to “do it for Hali” as they looked to secure their first NBA title in franchise history.
NBA World Reacts to Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles Injury in Game 7 of the Finals
As the news of Haliburton’s Achilles injury spread, players and fans flooded social media with reactions, many of them expressing disbelief and concern. Lakers legend LeBron James summed up the moment with a blunt NSFW reaction that reflected the shock: “F**K!!!!!!!!,” he wrote.
FUCK!!!!!!!! 🤦🏾♂️🙏🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 22, 2025
The news of Haliburton’s injury quickly picked up traction, with many NBA stars agreeing it captured what they were feeling after seeing the play. Similarly, NBA legend Vince Carter took to his X handle and tweeted:
“Damn man smh,” the disbelief from his tweet is almost exactly how the fans are feeling right now, especially with how sudden and non-contact the injury appeared.
Damn man smh 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
— Vince Carter (@mrvincecarter15) June 22, 2025
Sharing his concern, Grant Williams wrote: “up for Hali!!! Praying he’s alright,” showcasing the importance of Haliburton not just to the Pacers, but to the league’s future.
🙏🏽🙏🏽 up for Hali!!! Praying he’s alright 🥺
— Grant Williams (@Grant2Will) June 22, 2025
The 26-year-old Trae Young also took to his social media to express his concerns for the Pacers’ player. He wrote: “Never wanna see that.”
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Never wanna see that😔— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) June 22, 2025
The prayers kept coming in from both fans and athletes. Karl-Anthony Towns wrote, “You never want to see that, prayers up.”
According to ESPN’s Lisa Salters, Haliburton’s father confirmed that his son suffered an Achilles injury. The Pacers officially ruled him out for the remainder of Game 7 with a lower right leg injury.
