Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has suffered a strained right calf and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the strain, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told 107.5 The Fan on Wednesday that Haliburton would be "carefully evaluated." The coach said Haliburton would likely be listed as questionable for Thursday's Game 6 and that the Pacers star would ultimately be a game-time decision.
"We have to prepare for two scenarios: one where he plays and one where he does not," Carlisle said.
Haliburton aggravated his calf injury in the first quarter of Monday's 120-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, but he returned in the second quarter with the calf wrapped and finished the game.
Carlisle had acknowledged that his star guard was not 100% after the game, but Haliburton said Monday that he had no plans to miss Game 6 with Indiana's season on the line as it trails 3-2 in the series.
"If I can walk, then I want to play," Haliburton said.
Haliburton played 34 minutes in Game 5 but finished without a field goal, missing all six of his shot attempts. He finished with four points (along with six assists and seven rebounds), the lowest scoring total of his playoff career. It marked the first time he had finished a postseason game without making a field goal.
After his postgame news conference following Game 2, Haliburton limped off with what was later revealed to be a right ankle injury. On Monday, he acknowledged this injury was in the "same area."
Haliburton is averaging 15.0 points, 7.2 assists and 6.2 rebounds on 45% shooting through the first five games of the series.
