From pull‑up 3s to pinwheel passes, Tyrese Haliburton has delivered statement last-moment clutch throws all season. But after he hobbled off with a sore calf in Game 5 during the NBA Finals, the two-time All‑Star guard found his injury rehab secret weapon not in some high‑end sports lab, but while streaming ‘Love Island’ with girlfriend, Jade Jones.
After the Indiana Pacers’ emphatic 108–91 Game 6 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 19, Haliburton hilariously revealed that the secret to keeping his gimpy calf in check wasn’t the reality TV show.
Jade Jones’ “Love Island” Therapy Kept Tyrese Haliburton’s Calf Ready for Pacers’ Game 6 Rout
In the postgame media session, cameras caught Haliburton joking that Jade’s ‘Love Island’ rehab regimen was the perfect blend of tough love and popcorn-fueled motivation. It was a strategic partner‑led protocol that kept him honest about his ice, his stretches, and his recovery timeline.
“She wants to watch ‘Love Island’ right now. She’s like, ‘Yo, before we put [Love Island] on, we have to put something on the calf, ‘” he admitted in a clip shared by the X account of SportsCenter.
“Before we put [Love Island] on, we have to put something on the calf.”
—Tyrese Haliburton’s girlfriend, Jade, kept him accountable on his rehab before Game 6 😂 pic.twitter.com/13Qd00nKRr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 20, 2025
Medical staff cleared him to play “if he can walk,” right before the Game 6 tip-off. And Haliburton’s willingness to push through pain echoed past the Finals lore as he scored 14 points in 3-of-7 from 3. But rehab is as much about consistency as toughness, and the All-Star player credits his girlfriend for it.
For the unversed, Haliburton first felt the tug in his right calf during a drive in the opening quarter of Game 5. Despite an MRI confirming a mild strain, he soldiered on for 34 minutes. He finished with just four points on 0‑of‑6 shooting, seven rebounds, and dished out six assists. Still, the Pacers lost 120–109 to the Thunder.
Pacers Reclaim the Paint With Game 6
With the series hanging in the balance at 3–2, Indiana stormed out of the gates on June 19, roaring to a 64–42 halftime lead en route to a 108–91 blowout at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Obi Toppin led the bench surge with 20 points and two steals off the bench. Pascal Siakam muscled in a 16‑point, 13‑rebound double‑double, while Andrew Nembhard chipped in 17 points. Haliburton, logging just 23 minutes as a precaution, still chipped in 14 points, five assists, and two steals. Furthermore, T.J. McConnell added 12 points, six assists, and four steals.
NOT DONE YET.#PacersWin pic.twitter.com/XAlotlACXr
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 20, 2025
Defensively, the Pacers forced 21 turnovers and held the Thunder to another series‑worst 26.7% from 3-point range. Previously, despite winning Game 4 (111-104), the Thunder was kept at 18.8% from three-point range compared to the Pacers’ 30.6%.
The current Pacers squad has already defied expectations, rallying from a 3–2 deficit to win on the road. Now, with the series tied 3–3, the NBA world turns to Sunday’s winner‑take‑all showdown in Oklahoma City. This is the first time a Game 7 decider will take place in the NBA Finals since 2016.
