In a Game ͏7 that was supposed to define legacies, ͏the focus ͏tragically shifted just minutes ͏in͏.͏ What began as a rare ͏and thrilling NB͏A ͏͏Finals showdown between ͏the Indiana Pacers and ͏the͏ Oklahoma City Thunder took ͏a heartbreaking turn when͏ Pacers star Tyrese͏ Haliburton collapsed in agony.
What͏ ͏followed was ͏a ͏wave of reactions from ͏fans, players, and ͏͏one especially emotional response from ͏NFL͏ star Patrick M͏aho͏mes that ͏instantly ͏resonated across social media.
Patrick Mahomes Sends Prayers As Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury Stuns NBA Fans
With 4:55 left in the first quarter, Tyrese Haliburton went down without contact while attempting to drive past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Already playing through a strained right calf, Haliburton’s fall was both sudden and alarming.
As he pounded the hardwood in visible pain, players and fans alike feared the worst. The Pacers initially listed it as a “right lower leg injury,” but ESPN’s Lisa Salters later confirmed via Haliburton’s father that it was indeed an Achilles injury.
Haliburton, just ͏25 and ͏already a two-͏time All-Star, had returned to the lineup after straining his calf in Game 5͏ of the series.͏ He had played through the discomfort in Game͏ 6 and looked sharp early in Game 7, hitting three ͏of four shots from beyond ͏the͏ arc and keeping Indiana close in͏ a tight 18-16 start.
But the sight of him collapsing,͏ ͏coupled with a visible ripple͏ in ͏his͏ calf on replay, instantly recalled Kevin Durant’s 20͏19 Finals injury, a͏ similarly devastating Achilles tear following a calf͏ ͏strain.
Reactions came swiftly and somberly across the league. LeBron James tweeted capturing the heartbreak felt by many.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, then echoed the stunned disbelief gripping sports fans everywhere. His tweet was quickly followed by six simple words that conveyed raw emotion.
Prayers up man… 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 23, 2025
In just ͏those͏ six words, Mahomes captured what millions were͏ feeling. The͏ crossover between the NBA and NFL ͏communities only ͏underscored the gravity of the moment.
No way man….
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 23, 2025
Haliburton, who had become͏ ͏the heart of this Pacers run, was not just an Indiana hero but a rising face of͏ the league. His abrupt exit from the biggest ͏game of his career left a void both on the floor and in the broader sports narrative.
The biggest concern about the injury is that if it is indeed an Achilles injury, then it might jeopardize Haliburton’s next season, which would be a tougher blow to the surge of the Pacers.
The game went on without Haliburton, but it didn’t feel the same. The energy ͏drained from͏ the arena, and fans everywhere were left shaken. Moments like these remind everyone that beyond the highlights and stat lines, ͏these͏ are real people with real stakes͏.