NBA Finals: Pacers say Tyrese Haliburton is hurting, will play Game 3

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, center, reacts during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)Ass

INDIANAPOLIS — Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle admits his point guard is not fully healthy, but he’s 100 percent certain Tyrese Haliburton is playing in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.

The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

“I don’t think you’re going to hear him making a big deal out of it,” Carlisle said Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse of Haliburton’s status as the Finals stage was being set in Indiana for the first time since 2000.

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“This is the time of year where it just doesn’t get any better than this. The atmosphere, the interest, the opportunity, coming back and being at home. I mean, there’s just so much to be excited about. We’ve got a couple guys that are slightly under the weather; I don’t think anything is going to keep these guys from playing in the game.”

Haliburton delivered the dagger jumpshot to sink the Oklahoma City Thunder on their home court in Game 1 and win 111-110. Carlisle said Haliburton was “feeling it” during Game 2, when he was dogged by a physical defensive rotation, turned the ball over five times — more than any game in the previous series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks — and is 5-of-15 from 3-point range in the first two games of the NBA Finals.

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Haliburton described his injury as a “lower leg thing” and referred to it as a non-factor.

“I’ll leave it at that. I don’t think there’s anything more to elaborate. I feel fine and I’ll be ready to go for Game 3,” Haliburton, 25, said.

In 73 regular-season games, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.2 assists.

Game 4 is scheduled for Friday night in Indianapolis. –Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media