Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has repeatedly said that he does not regret playing in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, where he suffered an Achilles tear. However, he revealed that people from his inner circle strongly advised him not to risk his health by playing with a strained calf, even if there were just two games left in the 2024-25 NBA season and those were the most important games of the year.
"I had some close friends, family, and mentors in my life call me after Game 5 and say, 'Hey, shut it down,'" said the Pacers guard..
Haliburton suffered a right calf injury in the first quarter of Game 5 of the championship series against the Oklahoma City Thunder . He was able to finish the game, but struggled — he shot 0-for-6 from the field and only had four points and six assists in 34 minutes.
Haliburton had an MRI immediately after the game, which showed he suffered a calf strain. At that point, the Pacers guard was determined to play in Game 6 because, despite being down 3-2 in the series, the Pacers still had a legitimate chance of turning the series around and winning the Larry O'Brien trophy. However, with people close to him saying otherwise, he turned to then Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant , who was once in the same position, to validate his decision.
"I called KD after I got my MRI after Game 5. I said, 'Bro, do you regret playing in the game you tore your Achilles?' He said, 'No, not at all.' He said, 'You never...' I was like, 'Alright.' Yeah, I wasn't going to switch anyway, so I'm glad he said that. It made me feel a little bit better," Hali added.
Durant suffered a Grade 1 calf strain during the Golden State Warriors ' 2019 second-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets . He followed an aggressive rehabilitation plan with the intent of returning in the championship series if the Warriors made it that far.
That's exactly what happened, and with Golden State down 3-1 to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals, Durant returned in Game 5.
Many felt that Durant and the Warriors rushed his return. In most scenarios, a Grade 1 calf strain requires a six-week physiological soft tissue healing. But with Golden State's season on the line, the superstar forward returned after just four weeks. The result? He tore his Achilles tendon 11 minutes into his comeback, after a scorching hot start with 11 points on 3-for-3 3-point shooting.
Haliburton was also scorching hot in Game 7 against the Thunder, making three out of his first five 3-point attempts and scoring nine points when he tore his Achilles tendon.
Durant missed 18 months of action due to his injury. He sat out the entire 2019-20 campaign and did not return until December 2020. Meanwhile, the Pacers have announced that Haliburton will not play during the 2025-26 season and is expected to be out for at least 15 months.
Hopefully, like Durant, he will take a more cautious approach so that he, too, will return like he never left.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
