Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton reflected on his devastating 2025 NBA Finals loss and Achilles injury, admitting that the pain of coming up short still lingers.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Haliburton shared how deeply the moment affected him. “Even when I got hurt, when I was overcome with emotion, it was more about that game and the championship,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be over it, if I’m being honest. I’ll never be fully over it and just be able to move on.”
The Pacers were one win away from capturing their first NBA title before Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Indiana’s offense struggled after his exit, allowing the Thunder to claim the championship.
Haliburton had been the driving force behind Indiana’s playoff run, leading the franchise to its first Finals appearance since 2000. His postseason included multiple clutch performances, including a game-winning shot in his Finals debut and a historic triple-double in the Eastern Conference Finals.
At the time of his injury, Haliburton was 25 years old and in the midst of an All-NBA-caliber season. He averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists during the 2024–25 campaign, earning his second consecutive All-NBA selection.
Despite his disappointment, Haliburton made clear that his motivation remains strong. “The plan and the goal in life is to get right back there and obviously reach the mountaintop,” he told Sports Illustrated. “I have the utmost faith that I’m going to come back and be better and be able to get right back and do the same things I was doing before the injury.”
The Pacers confirmed in July that Haliburton will miss the entire 2025–26 season as he recovers. His absence leaves a major void in Indiana’s backcourt, where he has served as both the team’s leading playmaker and emotional leader.
Still, the All-Star guard remains optimistic. Earlier in the summer, Haliburton wrote on social media that he had no regrets about playing through his earlier calf strain, stating that he would “do it again” for his teammates and the city of Indianapolis.
