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Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton will play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton, a game-time decision entering Thursday, won't be on a minutes restriction in the win-or-go-home showdown with the Thunder, who currently lead the series 3-2.
Haliburton suffered a right calf strain during the team's 120-109 loss in Game 5 on Monday.
He finished with just four points after shooting 0-for-6 from the field in what was the worst game of his otherwise memorable, and mostly clutch, playoff run.
Haliburton wore a gray sock/compression sleeve on his lower right leg while getting shots up Thursday evening, just a few hours before the 8:30 p.m tipoff.
Carlisle told reporters Thursday evening that Haliburton was strength tested at 5 p.m. and did well.
"He's going to play," Carlisle told NBA TV. "He's obviously going to start. And we'll monitor his situation very closely and very carefully. We don't know the exact number of minutes. There's not been a minutes limit that's been put forth by our medical people."
Carlisle added: "Look, we're in the Finals. It's national TV. There's long timeouts. So we'll start the game and see where we are as we go along."
Haliburton played through the injury in Game 5 and made it clear postgame that he'd turn over every stone to be on the court in Indianapolis Thursday night, with the Pacers' season and NBA championship hopes on the line.
"If I can walk, then I want to play," the two-time NBA All-Star told reporters at the time.
Haliburton doubled down on that statement Wednesday.
"I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions. But I’m a competitor," he said. "I want to play. I’m going to do everything in my power to play."
Haliburton has averaged 17.9 points, 9.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in the playoffs this season. His impact, however, is even greater than his numbers suggest.
In addition to orchestrating the Pacers' run-and-gun offense, he's hit an array of jaw-dropping shots this postseason, including a game-winner to start the NBA Finals.
