Unfortunately, Tyrese Haliburton had to leave Game 2 in the third quarter due to a left hamstring injury.
His coach Rick Carlisle mentioned that Tyrese had aggravated an old injury and would be evaluated on Friday. The team hopes he can return for Games 3 and 4 in Indianapolis.
Coach’s Perspective:
“He was sore at halftime,” said Carlisle. “He tried his best after getting treatment during the break, but it wasn’t enough. The trainers decided he needed more attention, so he didn’t come back.”
This is the play in the 3rd quarter where Tyrese Haliburton appeared to suffer a leg injury.
He left the game and was ruled OUT for the remainder of Game 2 vs. the Celtics 🙏🏽
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints)
Teammates’ Reactions:
Pascal Siakam expressed frustration over Tyrese’s recurring injury from January. “We need Ty, but we have to keep playing together,” said Siakam, who scored 28 points last night.
In January, Haliburton also injured himself against Boston and missed ten games. During that period, Indiana managed a 6-4 record without him.
I think it’s really tough when key players get injured repeatedly.
T.J. McConnell stated that everyone needs to step up in Tyrese’s absence. “It’s time for us all to take bigger roles,” he said. “We’ve handled it before; we can do it again.”
Jaylen Brown’s Motivation:
Despite Haliburton scoring 25 points and making ten assists in Game 1 and earning a spot on the All-NBA third team this week, Jaylen Brown was not selected for any All-NBA teams but shined in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals with a dominant performance.
Coach Joe Mazzulla believes Brown used being snubbed as motivation: “He cares about winning more than anything else,” Mazzulla said after Brown’s impressive 40-point game.
Impact of Haliburton’s Absence:
With Haliburton possibly out for upcoming games in Indianapolis, his teammates stressed how crucial he is to their success. T.J. McConnell noted that everyone needs to move the ball more effectively: “Tyrese gets ten assists easily; we need a group effort now.”
The team must work together even harder without their star player
