The Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder are tied at one win apiece in the NBA Finals. This Wednesday, the series shifts to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for Game 3, with much of the attention focused on the physical condition of Tyrese Haliburton.
The point guard, who was a key figure in previous playoff rounds against the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks, showed clear signs of physical discomfort during Game 2 at Paycom Center. This was especially evident in the first half, after which he had scored just 3 points.
Although Tyrese’s performance improved later — finishing with 17 points — it wasn’t enough for the Pacers to pull off a comeback similar to Game 1, and they ended up losing 123-107. Concerns about the 25-year-old star’s health grew after he was seen limping following the postgame press conference.
However, Indiana released its injury report on Wednesday, offering reassuring news for fans: Haliburton is not listed among the players dealing with injuries, which means his presence in Game 3 appears to be guaranteed.
Indiana’s injury report
In the latest injury report published by the NBA on Wednesday, the Pacers have two players listed as “Out” for tonight’s game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. One of them is, unsurprisingly, Isaiah Jackson, who has been out since November 2024 after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The other absentee for Indiana will be Jarace Walker. The 21-year-old forward suffered a sprained ankle during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks and has been sidelined ever since. At the time, coach Rick Carlisle said Walker would miss the first two games of the Finals against OKC but would aim to return later in the series. That will not happen — at least not in Game 3.
The Thunder, meanwhile, have only one player on the injury report ahead of tonight’s game: Nikola Topic. The young guard has been out all season due to a serious knee injury but is expected to return to the court during the summer, targeting the start of next season.
Haliburton on the pressure of being a star
Before heading into Game 3 against OKC, Haliburton spoke with Malika Andrews and reflected on the criticism he often receives. “I think when you’re successful, people will always find a reason to discredit you. That’s really how it goes,” he said.
“For us, it’s about controlling what we can. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what people have to say about our road to get here, where we are right now, how we’re playing — we’re three games away from being NBA champions, and that’s the biggest thing,” Tyrese added about the Pacers. “Time flies and we’re just trying to enjoy where we are, enjoy where our feet are, and we’ll take the results.”
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