Haliburton on playing injured: 'I'd do it again'

Indiana Pacers prima Tyrese Haliburton said helium didn't regret playing done a calf strain that led to him tearing his close Achilles successful Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

"I'd bash it again, and again aft that, to combat for this metropolis and my brothers," Haliburton wrote successful an affectional connection posted to societal media Monday night. "For the accidental to bash thing special."

Haliburton suffered the calf strain successful Game 5 and, contempt being listed arsenic a game-time decision, played connected it successful Game 6. After making it done that crippled unscathed, Haliburton again took the tribunal successful Game 7 but crumpled to the level connected an attempted thrust to the handbasket with 4:55 remaining successful the opening quarter.

He near crippled putting nary value connected the limb and had his look wrapped successful towels successful an affectional scene. The Pacers confirmed helium tore his Achilles earlier Monday.

The wounded chopped abbreviated 1 of the astir singular idiosyncratic playoff runs successful NBA history, 1 successful which Haliburton deed a tying oregon winning changeable successful the last seconds successful each 4 rounds of the postseason. It besides ended a miraculous tally to the Finals for the fourth-seeded Pacers arsenic they went connected to suffer Game 7 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"Don't cognize however to explicate it different than shock," Haliburton wrote. "Words cannot explicit the symptom of this letdown. The vexation is unfathomable. I've worked my full beingness to get to this infinitesimal and this is however it ends? Makes nary sense.

Now that I've gotten surgery, I privation I could number the fig of times radical volition archer maine I'm going to "come backmost stronger". What a cliche lol, this [s---] sucks. My ft feels similar dormant value fam. But what's hurting astir I deliberation is my mind. Feel similar I'm rambling, but I cognize this is thing I'll look backmost connected erstwhile I'm done this, arsenic thing I'm arrogant I fought through. It feels bully to fto this crap retired without y'all seeing the kid disfigured cry."

Haliburton, 25, is expected to miss the 2025-26 season, though the squad did not denote a timeline for return. He was the 3rd prima these playoffs to spell down with a torn Achilles, on with Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum.

He expressed assurance successful his station that helium volition beryllium capable to get done the rehab and instrumentality to apical form.

"I don't "have to" spell done this, I get to spell done this," Haliburton wrote. "I'm grateful for the roadworthy that lies ahead. Watch however I travel backmost from this. So, springiness maine immoderate time, I'll particulate myself disconnected and get close backmost to being the champion mentation of Tyrese Haliburton."