The Pacers are facing a crucial Game 3 against the Celtics, with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton listed as questionable due to left hamstring soreness. Haliburton was forced to leave Game 2 in the third quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the match. The Pacers are currently down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals and will need a significant comeback if they lose Game 3 on their home court.
Despite the seemingly innocuous nature of the play where Haliburton was injured, he had been showing signs of pain and discomfort earlier in the game. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle revealed that Haliburton had been dealing with hamstring soreness at halftime but attempted to continue playing. Haliburton finished the game with 10 points, eight assists, and no turnovers in 28 minutes after a strong performance in Game 1.
The concern for Haliburton is amplified by his history of hamstring injuries, having missed 10 games in January due to a strain of the same hamstring. The Pacers will have to wait and see if their star point guard can recover in time for the must-win Game 3 against the Celtics.