An hour and a half before Game 6’s tip-off in Indianapolis, Tyrese Haliburton still wasn’t sure if he was going to play, or how long he’d be able to stay on court. The Pacers star is still nursing an injury to his right calf, a strain that limited him to only four points during Game 5 of the NBA Finals. 

However, his perseverance and willingness to sacrifice all for his team has been an inspiration not only for the fans, but for his own teammates. The Indiana guard ended up playing 23 minutes this Thursday evening, scoring 14 points, handing out five assists and earning two steals.

“He did amazing today,” said Obi Toppin about Hali, who sat out the entire fourth quarter. “He led us to a win, and he’s a soldier. He’s not going to let no little injury hold him back from playing in the Finals and helping this team win. He has helped us get to this point, and he’s going to keep going until he can’t.”

Tyrese’s ball protection proved to be vital, as the Pacers only committed 11 turnovers last night, especially compared to Game 5’s 23. After the victory, Haliburton expressed how badly he wants to play alongside his teammates, but knows he must take care of his health.

“I want to be out there to compete with my brothers,” the superstar said. “These are guys that I’m willing to go to war with and we’ve had such a special year, and we have a special bond as a group, and I’d beat myself up if I didn’t give it a chance. I just want to be out there and fight.”

The Thunder haven’t lost a consecutive games during their current playoff run, as they are 17-2 in general this whole year when facing a defeat. As the final game of the series heads back to Oklahoma City, the Pacers will continue to depend on their strength as a team to overcome their opponents.

“He’s a tough kid,” Pascal Siakam said, after scoring 16 points last night. “I had no doubt that he was going to be out there with us. It just shows he’s one of our leaders on the team and he’s doing everything he can to be out there for us, and we appreciate that.”

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