Tyrese Haliburton was open and honest about his decision to skip out on attending the Indiana Pacers’ road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pacers point guard was not on the sidelines for the team’s Friday clash against the Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. Haliburton’s absence was noticeable, given that he had been a visible figure in each of Indiana’s first 45 games.
Many assumed that Haliburton’s decision was a conscious one to avoid reliving the moment when he suffered a torn Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals on the very same floor. The Pacers star later confirmed the speculation in a text message sent to NBA reporter Taylor Rooks.
During the Amazon postgame show, Rooks read off her text exchange with Haliburton.
“He said that he does not think he’s ready to go back there yet,” Rooks shared.
“He said, ‘It’s something that I still think about for sure.’ He would like the next time he goes back to be when he can play and get lost in competing and playing the game that he loves, rather than staring at that spot of the floor the whole game.”
Haliburton’s authenticity is part of what has made him a fan favorite over the past few seasons. The Pacers guard was not too prideful to admit he was still reeling from the trauma of his injury — one that could have altered the course of NBA history.
Without Haliburton on the floor, the Pacers rallied to beat the Thunder 117-114 in a stunning upset of the defending champions. Indiana entered the game with an NBA-worst 10-35 record.
