Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had to be helped off the ground by his teammates after he slipped on the court against the Boston Celtics on Monday. Haliburton underwent an MRI scan on Tuesday that revealed a Grade 1 left hamstring strain that will likely sideline him for at least two weeks. by Adrian Wojnarowski.
Late in the second quarter on Monday, Haliburton was driving to the basket against Derrick White when he placed it and tried to turn back the other way. Unfortunately, his right leg gave way and he had to do the splits by falling awkwardly to the ground. He seemed to immediately know something was wrong and reached for the back of his left leg.
The Pacers won the game 133-131 in Haliburton's absence. and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle called the injury “very debilitating.”
Haliburton was unable to get away under his own power, and several teammates had to pick him up from the ground and carry him through the tunnel.
Any absence is bad news for the Pacers, who operate like Haliburton. But Wojnarowski reports that the star guard has avoided serious injury, and the Pacers will be grateful that his likely return comes in weeks rather than months.
Haliburton, a fourth-year point guard, is in the midst of a breakout campaign that includes leading the Pacers to the championship game of the NBA's first in-season tournament in December. Entering Monday night, Haliburton was averaging 24.2 points and a league-best and career-high 12.7 assists per game. He is on pace to become the first player since John Stockton in 1995 to average 12 assists in a season. Additionally, he led all Eastern Conference guards in the first return of fan votes for the 2024 All-Star Game, which will be played in Indiana.
With Haliburton at the helm, the Pacers play extremely fast and have the best offense in the league. In fact, their offensive rating of 122.4 would be the best in NBA history. Thanks to their strong offense, they are in sixth place in the East at 21:15.