Pacers’ Haliburton could miss all of 2025-26 season

After having surgery on a torn right Achilles tendon, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton may miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season.

Seven minutes into the final game seven of the NBA Championship play-off finals at the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 25-year-old attempted to drive to the basket without making contact.

His team lost the remainder of the game, 103-91, to put an end to their hopes of winning their first NBA title, in clear distress as he was helped from the court.

The injury, which has a likely eight to ten-month recovery period, will need surgery on Monday, according to the Pacers.

The two-time All-Star, who joins Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and Boston’s Jayson Tatum, is the third high-profile player to rupture an Achilles tendon during the play-offs this year.

Kevin Durant was forced out for a full season due to an injury that occurred during the 2019 NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors.

Despite suffering a calf strain in game five of the finals, Haliburton still managed to play in Sunday’s decider.

In the final seconds of each of the four play-off rounds, he hit a winning or tie-breaking shot.

After the surgery, he posted on X that he would “fight for this city and my brothers.” “I’d do it again,” he said. “For the chance to do something special.

Words cannot adequately express how sorry this is. Unfathomable is the relief. I’ve put my whole life into this situation, but it ultimately ends here.

After the game on Sunday, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle paid tribute to Haliburton.