Latest news with #Haliburton
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14 hours ago
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Pacers use three words to sum up painful end to 2025 NBA Finals run
The post Pacers use three words to sum up painful end to 2025 NBA Finals run appeared first on ClutchPoints. All good things come to an end, but the Indiana Pacers at least hoped that the ending wouldn't be so bitter. On Sunday night, the Pacers' championship dreams got dashed completely by a dominant Oklahoma City Thunder team that used a powerful third quarter to take a Game 7 lead that they wouldn't relinquish en route to a 103-91 victory. Advertisement For a Pacers team that has overcome so much adversity this postseason alone, the hope was that they had one last miracle run left in them. But they couldn't conjure up one last burst of magic at their darkest hour. Even then, they can hold their head up high knowing they did their best, shocking the world by coming this close to winning the NBA championship. 'what a run 💔,' reads the Pacers' post on their official account on X (formerly) following their defeat. Indeed, this playoff run is filled with so many epic moments that are sure to live long in the memory of not just Pacers fans, but even for the general NBA fanbase. From the first round all the way to the NBA Finals, the Pacers made it clear that they had the heart of a champion, which would have made them one of the most incredible title-winning teams of all-time had they managed to go all the way. Alas, even the clock had to strike midnight for Cinderella. Perhaps in the coming years, they'll manage to make the glass slipper fit for good. Pacers' run to the NBA Finals in 2025 will forever be iconic Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images The Pacers may not have been able to capture the NBA championship in 2025, but (cliché alert) they were able to capture the hearts of millions of fans around the globe. Every round gave fans a lasting memory to hold on to, which, after processing the grief that comes with losing Game 7 of the NBA Finals, will put in perspective just how magical everything that happened truly was. Advertisement In Round 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, they managed to end the series in Game 5 with an 8-0 run in overtime which was punctuated by a Tyrese Haliburton game-winner. The following round, they stole Game 2 from right underneath the Cleveland Cavaliers, overturning a seven-point deficit with less than 50 seconds left in the game and snatched it all with a Haliburton game-winning triple. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers committed grand larceny in Game 1, storming back from 15 down late in the fourth, forcing overtime thanks to a Haliburton stepback shot (that had him thinking the game was over) and then putting on an offensive clinic in the extra period to put the New York Knicks on the backfoot. And then in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton had another magical moment, drilling a game-winning midrange shot over the grill of Cason Wallace to give the Pacers a 1-0 lead. These are memories that no one can take away from anyone. The ending may have been bitter for the Pacers, but the road leading up to the end was filled with sweet moments, reminding everyone that sometimes, it's not all about the destination. Related: Rising WWE star's 3-word reaction to Tyrese Haliburton NBA Finals injury Related: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton seen leaving Paycom Center on crutches
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14 hours ago
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Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton teammate who carried him off the floor sounds off on injury
The post Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton teammate who carried him off the floor sounds off on injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. After Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury early into Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the team ultimately lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but arguably the biggest headline was around the status of the point guard. As the sports world has been reacting to the injury of the Pacers' point guard, there would be more insight from a key teammate on the team. Advertisement In the aftermath of Haliburton straining his calf in Game 5, playing through it in Game 6, he would suffer from a non-contact injury in the first quarter of Game 7 where when play stopped with just under five minutes left, everybody knew it was bad. One player who carried him off the court was James Johnson, who doesn't log a lot of minutes but is seen as the veteran leader in Indiana, as he said how 'heartbreaking' it was, according to The Athletic. 'That was heartbreaking,' he said. 'I know how hard he works, how bad he wanted it, and I know the hours he puts in, day in and day out. … Just to even be here was an honor, to sit courtside and help cheer on these guys was an honor, man. There's a group character that's hard to find. KP (Pritchard) and (Pacers general manager) Chad (Buchanan) did a great job of putting this group together, and getting high-character guys.' Pacers 'hearts dropped' when seeing Tyrese Haliburton's injury Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images. With the painful ending to the Pacers' season in many facets, Haliburton will no doubt be hungry, along with the rest of the team, to head into the offseason determined to get back to the NBA Finals. Still, it's valid to digest the situation on Sunday night as sad, an event that made Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle's heart drop, as he said. Advertisement 'What happened with Tyrese is, all of our hearts dropped,' Carlisle said. 'He authored one of the great individual playoff runs in the history of the NBA, with dramatic play after dramatic play. It was just something that no one's ever seen. And did it as one of 17 (players). That's the beautiful thing about him.' There's no doubt that the Pacers were one of, if not the most exciting, team in the postseason this year, getting huge series wins over the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Knicks to get to the NBA Finals. Even pushing the series to seven games against Oklahoma City showed the fortitude they had as Myles Turner would he will miss the 'process.' 'It was special,' Turner said. 'Just everything we've been through to get to this point, everything that went into it … a journey at that. We talk about the process a lot, not necessarily the end goal, but the process. I'm going to miss the process of this group.' At any rate, Indiana looks to improve after finishing 50-32, which put them fourth in the Eastern Conference. Related: Shams confirms Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tear in NBA Finals Game 7 Related: Pacers rumors: Will Indiana still be willing to pay luxury tax after Tyrese Haliburton injury?
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17 hours ago
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Brian Windhorst reveals what Tyrese Haliburton ‘won' despite Pacers' NBA Finals loss
The post Brian Windhorst reveals what Tyrese Haliburton 'won' despite Pacers' NBA Finals loss appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Pacers' storybook 2025 postseason run ended in heartbreak Sunday night with a 103–91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. It marked the franchise's first Finals appearance since 2000 and concluded a remarkable stretch that saw Indiana defy expectations and reach the championship stage despite entering the playoffs as underdogs. Advertisement The loss was compounded by a devastating first-quarter injury to star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who tore his Achilles just seven minutes into the game. At the time of the injury, Haliburton had already scored nine points and appeared poised to deliver a signature performance on the league's biggest stage. His early exit proved costly, as the Pacers struggled offensively in his absence and were unable to keep pace with the Thunder. Despite the somber ending, Haliburton drew praise across the NBA for his playoff performance and the composure he displayed throughout the postseason. On Tuesday's episode of First Take, ESPN's Brian Windhorst offered a heartfelt reflection on what Haliburton had still 'won,' even as Indiana fell short of the title. 'Tyrese, I know that you did not win this game and I know that you are facing a long recovery,' Windhorst said. 'But you did win something: You won over millions of new fans because if you didn't know Tyrese Haliburton and the type of player he is and the type of clutch player he is, you know him now after seeing those shots.' Tyrese Haliburton's standout postseason earned league-wide respect despite the Pacers' Finals loss © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Haliburton had averaged 17.3 points, 8.6 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game throughout the 2025 NBA Playoffs and had been instrumental in the Pacers' victories over the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks. His high basketball IQ, elite passing, and timely shot-making were central to Indiana's deep run. Advertisement Windhorst emphasized that Haliburton's reputation around the league had also reached new heights. 'The second thing is you won over the respect of everybody in this league because I'm watching on social media as all of these players are reacting to seeing this moment,' Windhorst said. 'They all respect what you did… Tyrese may have not gotten a championship, but he made a statement for the rest of his life the way he handled himself in this situation and over the last two months.' The Thunder, led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, capitalized on the Pacers' misfortune and delivered a strong second half to secure the franchise's first NBA championship since relocating to Oklahoma City. Gilgeous-Alexander finished Game 7 with 29 points and was named Finals MVP. Windhorst concluded by noting Haliburton's early rhythm in Game 7 and how it could have altered the outcome. Advertisement 'One of the biggest, heartbreaking things about this whole situation is he was playing great,' Windhorst added. 'I hate to say it, but he might've scored 40 points in this game… we'll never know.' Though the Pacers fell short of the title, Haliburton's emergence as a franchise cornerstone and respected league figure remained one of the defining stories of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Related: Paul George makes suggestion after Tyrese Haliburton injury Related: Rick Carlisle breaks silence on Myles Turner's free agency
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17 hours ago
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Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's exit highlights Jayson Tatum similarity beyond injury
The post Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's exit highlights Jayson Tatum similarity beyond injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. Will the NBA be making changes to their scheduling in the aftermath of three Achilles injuries in this year's playoffs alone? Damian Lillard went down in Round 1, Jayson Tatum followed suit in Round 2, and then Tyrese Haliburton, who's been so magically clutch for the Indiana Pacers in this year's playoffs, seems to have suffered the same fate as his other two peers in their 103-91 Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. Advertisement The long grind coupled with the short periods of rest come playoff time seems to have caught up to some of the biggest stars in the NBA. But beyond the similarities among those three on the injury front, it sure does raise an eyebrow or two that all of the All-Stars who suffered an Achilles injury in the playoffs was wearing the jersey number zero, as pointed out by StatMuse on X (formerly Twitter). Of course, there is no greater meaning behind this. It is simply a coincidence, although it does seem odd that all of them wear the same jersey number and they all suffered the same fate. But going back to the NBA's scheduling problem, is an 82-game regular-season grind simply too much to handle in today's style of play? There is so much effort being expended on every possession; teams are looking to cover as much ground as possible defensively due to how skilled players are these days from all areas of the court. And the Pacers are one such team; not only do they play a defensive style that relies so much on putting pressure on the other team, they also play at a breakneck pace on offense. One's legs can only handle so much strain, even if one is a professional athlete who receives the best training possible. Pacers' Game 7 injury woes highlight importance of load management Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images The Thunder were so dominant in the regular season that they could afford to rest the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, limiting their minutes often considering how many blowout wins they had on the year. Meanwhile, the Pacers had to overcome a slow start to the season; Haliburton, in particular, had to snap himself out of an early-season funk to finish the year with a flourish. Advertisement Calf injuries are no joke, and Haliburton's injury was eerily reminiscent of the one Kevin Durant suffered as well back in 2019. For the Pacers, the hope now for next season is that they at least remain semi-competitive in preparation for Haliburton's eventual return from injury. Related: Obi Toppin assigns blame for Pacers' crushing Game 7 loss to Thunder Related: Bill Simmons disses Thunder with reaction to Tyrese Haliburton injury
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17 hours ago
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Iowa State basketball sends 3-word message to Tyrese Haliburton after painful Game 7
The post Iowa State basketball sends 3-word message to Tyrese Haliburton after painful Game 7 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Iowa State basketball sent a touching message to its former point guard Tyrese Haliburton following Game 7 of the NBA Finals. It's no secret what happened on Sunday night. Haliburton, who played two years in Ames, was trying to follow up his legendary playoff run with the first championship in Indiana Pacers history. And the 25-year-old looked like he was primed for a storybook ending to this journey with nine quick points. Unfortunately, the superstar point guard tore his Achilles in the first quarter, and the Oklahoma City Thunder subsequently won their first title ever. Advertisement It was a tragic sight for a player who has inspired the league throughout this playoff run. Haliburton went on a somewhat of a revenge tour after being named 'most overrated' by his peers, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot down the stretch of games. While this run was a surprise to many, Tyrese gained this belief in himself during his two seasons with Iowa State basketball. The Oshkosh, Wisconsin native started all but one of the games he appeared in for the Cyclones, improving drastically throughout his college career. Iowa State's floor general averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.9 rebounds on highly efficient shooting during his sophomore year with the program. Haliburton went on to be the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and has continued to reshape his ceiling every season. This is one of the more heartbreaking injuries in recent NBA history, but the Cyclones took this moment to send a beautiful message over Twitter to their beloved former player. Haliburton has a long road to recovery, but he is still young and has a game that doesn't heavily rely on explosiveness. There is a solid chance that the star point guard can get back to the level he was playing at this season and throughout this playoff run. As for Haliburton's college, the Cyclones are in healthy shape under head coach TJ Otzelberger. The 47-year-old has a team in Ames that should be a contender in the Big 12 conference. Iowa State basketball is returning several key players from last year's squad and some highly regarded transfers. Advertisement Overall, Tyrese's relationship with his former school is as strong as ever. Haliburton is on pace to be the greatest NBA player ever from a school steeped in basketball tradition. While Pacers' fans will have to wait most, if not all of next season, for the face of their franchise to be healthy again, it's abundantly clear that Indiana made one of its greatest decisions ever, trading for Haliburton in 2022. Related: Duke coach Jon Scheyer drops truth bomb on Cooper Flagg's Mavericks fit Related: UConn legend Jim Calhoun shares wish for Thunder's Mark Daigneault after NBA Finals
