Indiana Pacers face a nervous wait as star point guard Tyrese Haliburton remains questionable for Thursday’s must-win Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed Haliburton would undergo a late fitness test after sustaining a calf strain in Monday’s Game 5, which left the Thunder just one win away from securing the NBA title.
“As far as Tyrese, he’ll go through the day tomorrow,” Carlisle said. “They’ll get together and do some testing. That will determine whether he plays or not… We will not really know for sure until late tomorrow afternoon or early evening.”
Haliburton, who exited Game 5 late in the first quarter for treatment but returned after halftime, is now focused on doing everything possible to recover in time.
“I’m a competitor; I want to play,” he said. “I have to be as smart as I want to be. Have to understand the risks, ask the right questions… I’m going to do everything in my power to play.”
The All-Star guard is undergoing intensive treatment to accelerate his recovery, including massage therapy, acupuncture, hyperbaric chamber sessions, and electrical stimulation.
The Pacers, down 3-2 in the series, will need Haliburton’s playmaking and leadership to force a decisive Game 7 and keep their championship hopes alive.
