After sacrificing his Achilles to play in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton is looking at a lengthy recovery timeline. It’s not quite Great Wall of China long; it’s more like the Medora Covered Bridge. No matter how you slice it though, the two-time All-Star won’t be on the court any time soon.
Pacers Engine Tyrese Haliburton Reveals Realistic Recovery Timeline
“I think it’ll be 15 months until I play my next game,” Haliburton tells Impaulsive podcast co-hosts Logan Paul and Mike Majlak. “But you know—it’s a slow process, bro. It’s like Groundhog Day every single day. Doing the same ****, same lifts, all those same things.”
No Regrets?
It would be fascinating to see a survey of how many people have wished they could go back in time to make a different decision. With that in mind, Haliburton’s injury was probably avoidable. Of course, players are always one wrong step away from a nasty outcome. However, if he had just followed the medical advice he was given, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t be looking at missing an entire season.
“I’ve had calf strains before, and I met with the doctor,” the 25-year-old reveals. “He said, ‘In the regular season, I would tell you to sit two to three weeks, but it’s the Finals.’ And I’m like, ‘What the ****? You think I’m going to sit down?’ I’m not going to say who, but I had some close friends, family, and mentors in my life call me after Game 5 and say: ‘Hey, shut it down.’
“No. **** no. **** no,” Haliburton exclaims after being asked whether he regrets playing on that tender calf.
“I’ll be honest—I called (Kevin Durant) after I got my MRI after Game 5. I said, ‘Bro, do you regret playing in the game you tore [your Achilles]?’ He said, ‘No, not at all.’ …I wasn’t going to switch anyway, so I’m glad he said that. It made me feel a little bit better. But no, I don’t regret it, bro.”
Exception To The Rule
To be frank, Houston Rockets star forward Kevin Durant’s perspective on whether he regrets playing in the game that resulted in him tearing his Achilles could’ve been altered by the way he’s played since then. In fact, his post-2019 NBA Finald numbers are actually better than they were pre-injury. Stats aside, the 15-time All-Star has mastered the art of scoring in three dribbles or less. So much so that his genuinely positive defensive impact gets overshadowed.
That being said, Durant is the exception to the rule. Consequently, using his experience as a reference base would be foolhardy. However, Haliburton sounds like he’s more headstrong than people knew. This could have a positive effect on both a tangible and intangible level.
In terms of the former, he’s more likely to attack his rehab diligently. As for the unseen? Coming back from a severe injury takes more than discipline. Players have to feel comfortable running, jumping, cutting, and changing directions at full speed. Without the requisite confidence, that process could take longer than it should.
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