Tyrese Haliburton's condition remains uncertain following his departure from Game 2 due to a hamstring injury.
The Indiana Pacers find themselves trailing 0-2 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, with concerns mounting over the status of star guard Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton exited Thursday night's Game 2 loss in Boston due to a hamstring injury, casting doubt on his availability for the remainder of the series.
Haliburton sustained the injury with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter while defending Jayson Tatum. A misstep during defensive maneuvering caused him visible discomfort, leading to his removal from the game. Despite initially soldiering on, Haliburton eventually left the court for the locker room with three minutes left in the quarter.
Following assessment, the Pacers ruled him out for the remainder of the game, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting left hamstring soreness as the cause. This development is particularly concerning given Haliburton's history, having missed 10 games in the regular season due to a previous hamstring ailment.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle provided limited information on Haliburton's condition post-game, indicating that the hamstring had been troubling him since halftime.
"He gave it his best effort," said Carlisle. "But it became apparent that he needed further attention from the trainers."
The Pacers are anxiously awaiting updates as the series heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Saturday.
In Game 2, Haliburton showcased his impact with 10 points and eight assists in 28 minutes of play. His performance in Game 1, where he contributed 25 points along with 10 assists, three rebounds, and three steals, underscored his pivotal role for the team.
Should Haliburton be sidelined, it would pose a significant setback for the Pacers, providing the Celtics with another advantage. This follows the Celtics' fortunate circumstance of not facing Donovan Mitchell in their final two games of the second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the absence of their star player, the Pacers will lean heavily on Andrew Nembhard, who tallied 16 points in Game 2, and TJ McConnell, who contributed 9 points. However, overcoming this challenge will be an uphill battle, as the Pacers now face the daunting task of winning four out of their next five games against a determined Celtics squad vying for a championship this season.
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