Perhaps the best indication of how Tyrese Haliburton is feeling physically comes via the Game 5 box score, which reveals he failed to score a single bucket. It appears the right calf tightness the Indiana Pacers star is battling isn't getting any better and it's severely limiting what he can do out on the court. If there's any good news for Pacers fans it's that Haliburton's leg has a few days to heal before Game 6 back in Indianapolis.
Even if it doesn't, he'll be out on the floor.
"I mean, it's the NBA Finals," Haliburton told reporters after his field goal-free performance. "It's the Finals, man. I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete. Help my teammates any way I can."
"I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to not play here," he added. "If I can walk, then I want to play. They understand that. And it is what it is. Got to be ready to go for Game 6."
Following his media availability, Haliburton grabbed his briefcase and walked out of the room sporting the heaviest limp yet. Again, not anything we didn't already know, and an explanation for his lack of production, but a major concern nonetheless.
