Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is set to miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season following surgery on a torn right Achilles tendon.
The 25-year-old sustained the serious injury just seven minutes into Game Seven of the NBA Championship Finals against Oklahoma City Thunder, collapsing to the court without any contact while driving towards the basket.
Despite being carried off in visible pain, Haliburton’s presence was sorely missed as the Pacers fell 103-91. The loss dashed their hopes of securing a first-ever NBA title. The team later confirmed the surgery, thereafter revealing an expected recovery period of eight to 10 months. That timeline rules him out for the next campaign entirely.
Moreover, this devastating injury made Haliburton the third major NBA star to suffer a ruptured Achilles during the postseason. He joins Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard on the sidelines. The setback also echoes Kevin Durant’s Achilles rupture in the 2019 Finals, which kept him out for an entire season.
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Even though he had nursed a calf strain since Game Five, Haliburton courageously suited up for the decisive final match. His playoff journey was remarkable as he delivered clutch shots in the dying seconds across all four previous rounds. The injury, therefore, came as a cruel twist to what had been a fairytale postseason run.
A season ended, but spirit unbroken
Nevertheless, Haliburton’s spirit remained undimmed. Taking to X after the operation, he expressed his unwavering love for the game and his team. “I’d do it again and again to fight for this city,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle also lauded the young star’s resilience and determination. He reassured fans that Haliburton would fully recover in time. Carlisle also maintained that brighter days lay ahead for both the player and the franchise.
Tags: Tyrese Haliburton, could miss the entire 2025-26 season, Indiana Pacers, #NBAFinals2025, Rick Carlisle, Oklahoma City Thunder, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, NBA Championship Finals.
