The Indiana Pacers edged the NBA's best team, the Boston Celtics, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse 133-131, but there was not much to celebrate after their best player failed to finish the game due to injury.
The latest Tyrese Haliburton injury update says it was a hamstring injury, but it does not provide much on how many games he will miss. Chatters say it could be weeks, and he will not be there for the team during a crucial road stretch.
"Pacers All-Star G Tyrese Haliburton will undergo an MRI on his left hamstring Tuesday, sources tell ESPN. He needed help leaving court earlier vs. Celtics after falling awkwardly on floor. Pacers won, 133-131," NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski wrote on X.
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The injury occurred in the sixth-minute mark of the second quarter. Haliburton tried to drive on the floor's left side but slipped and split.
Tyrese Haliburton goes down and is carried back to the locker room pic.twitter.com/1upm4HlhFg
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 9, 2024
His teammates had to carry him, and his face was not visible as it was covered with a towel.
"That was a very deflating moment," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of his star's injury. "(But) this was an important game. Every game that we play has the ability to be a season-defining game."
Haliburton averages a team-best 24.2 points per game and 1.2 steals per game. He also has the league-best (by a wide margin) 12.7 assists per game. They are at 21-15, good for a fifth spot on the Eastern Conference standings.
They will host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and embark on a six-game road trip. The road games include visits to the Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, and the Phoenix Suns.
A hamstring injury can be healed within three to eight weeks, depending on whether it is Grade 1, Grade 2, or higher. Sports injury analyst and physical therapist Evan Jeffries laid down expectations for Haliburton's return shortly after the news.
Tyrese Haliburton injured his Left Hamstring on this play. MRI will determine severity and time of healing
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) January 9, 2024
Grade I: 1-2 weeks
Grade II: 4-8 weeks
Grade II: 12+ weeks/surgery if torn off bone pic.twitter.com/SF1pMlxLwy
Tyrese Haliburton injury history
In his young NBA career, the 24-year-old has dealt with multiple injuries.
In his rookie year, he suffered a left knee injury that made him miss the Sacramento Kings' last seven games.
He dealt with back, ankle, and groin injuries with the Pacers, although he only missed a few games for those.
His most severe injury before the Celtics incident as a Pacer was a mild bone contusion in knee and elbow sprain in a January 2023 game against the New York Knicks.
Because of this, he missed at least ten games, and the Pacers went 1-9 in that span.
Haliburton recovered well after that. He recorded 26 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals in his first game back against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The injuries only made him better as he developed into a superstar and franchise player. The following month, he was selected for his first All-Star Game.
Six months later, he signed a five-year, $260-million maximum contract.
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