Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton exits Game 7 with Achilles injury - ESPN

OKLAHOMA CITY — A visibly emotional Tyrese Haliburton was helped off the court after going down with a right lower leg injury in the first quarter of Indiana's 103-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

The Pacers star's father, John Haliburton, told ESPN's Lisa Salters that it is an Achilles injury.

Haliburton put no weight on the leg and had his face wrapped in towels as he was taken to the locker room for evaluation. The Pacers later announced he would not return.

John Haliburton said his son was surrounded by family and watching the game in the Pacers' locker room.

«He said that Tyrese is doing as well as he can be under the circumstances,» Salters said on the broadcast.

Cameras showed Haliburton on crutches in the tunnel after the game, embracing his teammates as they walked off the court.

With 4:55 remaining in the opening quarter, Haliburton, who had been playing through a strained right calf, crumpled to the floor with the noncontact injury as he was attempting to drive to the basket.

He immediately began slapping the court in frustration and remained on the floor as virtually the entire Pacers team surrounded him.

«It's a heartbreak, man,» Pacers center Myles Turner told Salters during an in-game interview after the opening period. «It's unfortunate… but we've got his back.»

Haliburton had nine points, knocking down 3 of 4 3-pointers, when he got hurt.

Despite suffering a calf strain in Game 5 of the Finals, Haliburton had insisted on playing through the injury, saying, «If I can walk, I want to play.»

The day before Game 7, Haliburton acknowledged after practice that his leg was «still stiff, still sore,» but said he planned to play through it.

Haliburton, 25, had been