Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton Struggles in Game 5, Raises Concerns Over Availability for Game 6

Strategic Insights -

Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers' star point guard, suffered a lower right leg injury during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday, June 16, which complicated matters further, as he has been struggling to start games in the series. Despite his efforts, Haliburton was held without a single point in the first half for the first time in his postseason career and matched a career playoff low with four points. His slow starts have been a concern, averaging just 5.8 points in the first halves on 11-of-28 (39.3%) shooting throughout the series. The Pacers' inability to win the NBA Finals without Haliburton exceling is evident, and his potential availability for Game 6 on Thursday, June 19, is a pressing concern.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tyrese Haliburton suffered a lower right leg injury in Game 5, which he acknowledges is to the same area as a previous injury sustained in the Eastern Conference finals.
  • Haliburton has struggled to start games in the series, averaging just 5.8 points in the first halves on 11-of-28 (39.3%) shooting.
  • His four points in Game 5 matched a career playoff low, and he was held without a single point in the first half for the first time in his postseason career.
  • The Pacers are concerned about Haliburton's availability for Game 6, with coach Rick Carlisle stating that he's "not at a hundred percent."
  • Haliburton has excelled in second halves of games, but it's challenging to find a rhythm late in games, especially against a historically good defensive team like the Oklahoma City Thunder.
  • The Pacers' struggles in the NBA Finals are evident, as they have not been able to win their series without Haliburton excelling.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA Most Valuable Player, coasted to 31 points and 10 assists in Game 5, while backup Aaron Wiggins contributed 18 points.
  • The Pacers have found ways to close deficits, thanks in part to the play of backup point guard T.J. McConnell and forward Pascal Siakam, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the third quarter.

Statistics:

  • Tyrese Haliburton averaged 5.8 points in the first halves on 11-of-28 (39.3%) shooting throughout the series.
  • He matched a career playoff low with four points in Game 5, after averaging 14.5 attempts per game over the previous four games in the Finals.
  • The Pacers have averaged four turnovers per game in the Finals, with Haliburton committing three of Indiana's 23 on Monday night.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coasted to 31 points and 10 assists in Game 5, while backup Aaron Wiggins contributed 18 points.
  • Pascal Siakam scored 13 of his 18 points in the third quarter, helping the Pacers close the deficit to two points with eight-and-a-half minutes left.

Sources:

  • [1] Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, June 17, 2023