Ahead of Sunday night, Game 7 of the NBA Finals had a serious intrigue. Oklahoma City was the heavy favorite coming into the series. However, the Pacers battled and were able to force Game 7. 

Indiana had been playing spoiler all postseason, and nobody doubted their ability to do the same against OKC. In the first quarter of Game 7, Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles. He was dealing with a calf injury heading into Sunday, and there was always a risk of further injury. That’s exactly what happened. Despite the setback, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Tyrese Haliburton earned “the respect of everybody in this league” by playing Game 7.

Tyrese Haliburton took a chance at playing Game 7 in hopes of winning a championship

Despite the outcome, @WindhorstESPN believes Tyrese Haliburton earned “the respect of everybody in this league” by playing in Game 7 💪 pic.twitter.com/J3cWDAdqWy

— First Take (@FirstTake) June 24, 2025

The Oklahoma City Thunder are deserving NBA champions. That cannot be argued. OKC had the best record in the NBA during the regular season. They carried that momentum into the playoffs and won the franchise’s first NBA title. However, there will always be a looming “What if” on Game 7. If Tyrese Haliburton stays healthy, do the Thunder still win the NBA Finals?

On Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst went on First Take and noted how well Tyrese Haliburton was playing to start Game 7. He had nine points in seven minutes and was 3-4 from beyond the arc. When Haliburtin starts the game hot, he usually has a big performance. However, the young PG suffered an unfortunate Achilles tear. While he wasn’t able to win the title, Brian Windhorst said Haliburton did win something else.

Indiana’s all-star PG had an incredibly successful 2025 playoff run. It did not end in a championship, but Haliburton gained millions of new fans. Anyone who doubted his clutch ability in big moments was silenced this postseason. Additionally, Windhorst said Tyrese Haliburton earned “the respect of everybody in this league” by playing in Game 7.

There was a moment earlier in the year when The Athletic released one of their player polls. Tyrese Haliburton was voted the most overrated player in the NBA by his peers. Haliburton’s laundry list of clutch shots in the 2025 playoffs silenced those doubters. He put together an incredible run in the postseason for Indiana. Sadly, his season ended in injury, and he was unable to help his teammates fight for a title in Game 7. Tyrese Haliburton will bounce back in due time. For now, he has a long road to recovery ahead.

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