Tyrese Haliburton was held scoreless in the first half for the first time in his 36-game playoff career, battling through a clear lower right leg injury suffered early in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Haliburton played 10:04 of the first quarter Monday, then left for the locker room area and emerged with a wrap on his lower leg. Haliburton checked back into the game with 8:27 left in the first half.
He eventually finished game with just four points all from the free-throw line in a 120-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The defeat puts Indiana down 3-2 in the series and marks the first time they've trailed in a playoff round this postseason.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle revealed earlier in the series that Haliburton has been experiencing some discomfort, though did not sound overly concerned. Haliburton has started all five games in the series.
Thunder Take 3-2 NBA Finals Lead Behind Jalen Williams' 40-Point Explosion
The Oklahoma City Thunder are now one win away from their first NBA title since relocating to Oklahoma, after holding off a fierce Indiana Pacers rally to secure a 120-109 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.
Indiana erased an 18-point first-half deficit and cut the lead to just two points in the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma City responded with poise, fueled by a career-best playoff performance from Jalen Williams. The third-year forward dropped 40 points his highest ever in postseason play — and added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal to guide the Thunder to the pivotal win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his Finals brilliance, finishing with 31 points, 10 assists, and an impressive 4 blocks to complement Williams’ big night.
Despite the loss, the Pacers saw strong contributions from their supporting cast. Pascal Siakam led the scoring with 28 points to go with 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. T.J. McConnell once again provided a spark off the bench with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. However, Siakam’s six turnovers proved costly in a game where every possession mattered.
Oklahoma City now leads the series 3-2 and will look to close it out Thursday night in Indiana. The Pacers, who hadn’t trailed in a series all postseason until now, face elimination and must win at home to force a decisive Game 7.
