Indiana Loses Tyrese Haliburton, NBA Finals: What’s Next for the Pacers?

• Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
• The Pacers went on to lose that game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
• Haliburton now faces a long road to recovery as the Pacers evaluate the future.

The Tyrese Haliburton injury was beyond devastating for Pacers fans. Not only did they lose the NBA Finals, but they lost their star PG for the entirety of next season. Even so, the is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Tyrese Haliburton Injury

With 5 minutes left in the first quarter of the winner-take-all NBA Finals Game 7, Tyrese Haliburton suffered a non-contact injury. It was later reported to be a right Achilles injury, one of the worst possibilities. Without Haliburton, Indiana struggled to keep up with the Thunder offensively, eventually falling in short in Game 7.

While Haliburton’s injury is undoubtedly devastating for the Pacers, there are some silver linings when compared to the similar injury of Boston’s Jayson Tatum. Unlike the Celtics, Indiana has a lot of depth and is not over the second apron financially. Their wide body of talent will allow them to stay competitive until Haliburton returns. He is certain to miss the 2025-26 NBA season, but will aim to return the following year.

Indiana Pacers Future Odds

The Pacers sit in the middle of the pack for 2026 NBA Finals odds, currently given 40-to-1 odds. It will be tough without Haliburton, but those odds do provide upside for the defending East Conference champs.