The Indiana Pacers were hoping to pull off a Game 7 win on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals to win their first ever championship. Unfortunately, tragedy occurred and star point guard Tyrese Haliburton went down in the first quarter with an Achilles injury.
While it has not been officially revealed that he tore his Achilles, that seems to be the clear outcome.
Haliburton will miss the 2025-26 NBA season if he did indeed tear his Achilles. In just one moment, the entire future outlook changed for the Pacers’ franchise.
Just in the playoffs alone, the league saw three stars go down with Achilles tears.
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Of course, the Milwaukee Bucks lost star point guard Damian Lillard to the injury in the first round of the playoffs against Indiana. After that, the Boston Celtics saw Jayson Tatum tear his Achilles in their second round series against the New York Knicks.
Following the trio of star Achilles tears, the NBA has received a major warning.
Dr. Jesse Morse, a regenerative medicine doctor who has become very popular diagnosing sports injuries on social media, took to X to share a concerning fact about an injury that is becoming more prevalent than ever.
“Damian Lillard – April 27, 2025, Jayson Tatum – May 12, 2025, Tyrese Haliburton – June 22, 2025,” he wrote. “Achilles tears in 3 NBA superstars in a matter of 2 months. NBA you have a HUGE problem.”
He makes a good point. Prior to Haliburton’s Achilles injury, the Pacers had two others. James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson both went down early in the season with torn Achilles injuries.
In recent years, the Achilles has become a much bigger fear. Many stars have gone down with the injury in recent years.
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Granted, injuries are a part of the game. Any player could get hurt at any given moment. However, the Achilles playing such a pivotal role in the playoffs this season is an eye-opening situation.
Hopefully, there is a way for the league and the teams to get ahead of these injuries. An Achilles injury is one of the most devastating for a basketball player.
Seeing Haliburton go down in Game 7 of the NBA Finals was heartbreaking. He will now attack the rehab process as he looks to work his way back and pick up where he left off.
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