The 2025 NBA Finals Thread

[Covert Rain]

Pacers G Tyrese Haliburton reportedly needs MRI for calf strain, status for rest of NBA Finals unclear

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have suffered a strained calf and needs an MRI, ESPN's Shams Charania reports.

sports.yahoo.com

I think he has been playing through being hurt most of the series which is a shame. Indiana has impressed me.

 

[Ronin]

Rick Carlisle expects Tyrese Haliburton to be a game-time decision for Pacers in Game 6, will prep for either scenario

The Pacers will be prepared whether Tyrese Haliburton can go or not in Game 6.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Hoop Head]

I would be shocked if Hali sits this next game out. This is it for Indiana and these are the instances where you need to be out of commission entirely to miss it. It's unfortunate but we saw that first hand here when Paul and Booker got banged up worse in the finals while Giannis got healthier.

 

[Mainstreet]

I would be shocked if Hali sits this next game out. This is it for Indiana and these are the instances where you need to be out of commission entirely to miss it. It's unfortunate but we saw that first hand here when Paul and Booker got banged up worse in the finals while Giannis got healthier.

I expect Haliburton to play if he does not risk further injury.

Unfortunately, a team staying healthy plays a significant role in winning a title. If the Suns hadn't lost Saric, who knows.

 

[BirdGangThing]

doesn't matter if hali plays or not - it's an ability thing - if the calf is screwed pacers are too

 

[Finito]

I expect Haliburton to play if he does not risk further injury.

Unfortunately, a team staying healthy plays a significant role in winning a title. If the Suns hadn't lost Saric, who knows.

Lmao Saric? Bruh

 

[Chaplin]

Lmao Saric? Bruh

He's talking about in the Finals, where we were up 2-0 with him and then lost 4 straight when he went down injured.

 

[Mainstreet]

Tyrese Haliburton will try to play in game 6.

If this were the regular season, he reportedly would be missing multiple weeks.

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[Cheesebeef]

He's talking about in the Finals, where we were up 2-0 with him and then lost 4 straight when he went down injured.

Didn’t Saric gets injured in Game 1?

 

[Chaplin]

Didn’t Saric gets injured in Game 1?

Did he? I thought the biggest difference between the wins and losses that series was that Saric wasn't playing in the losses. He couldn't stop Giannis, but at least he could get in his way.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Did he? I thought the biggest difference between the wins and losses that series was that Saric wasn't playing in the losses. He couldn't stop Giannis, but at least he could get in his way.

I think it was Game 1, but even if not, we kicked their asses pretty good the first two games and he wasn’t that much of a difference that we should have lost 4 straight games, IMO.

 

[elindholm]

I think it was Game 1, but even if not, we kicked their asses pretty good the first two games and he wasn’t that much of a difference that we should have lost 4 straight games, IMO.

I remember thinking that Ayton became a lot more tentative on defense, which I assumed was because he was worried about foul trouble with Saric no longer available behind him. The change in Ayton's defense felt to me like the biggest swing in the series, but it's also true that Antetokounmpo was getting stronger with every game.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Giannis was recovering from an injury in the first two games of the Finals.

I wouldn't discount the impact on Saric's injury in game 1. He was the backup behind Ayton. Defending Giannis largely fell on Ayton who had to be concerned about fouls.

 

[Hoop Head]

I remember thinking that Ayton became a lot more tentative on defense, which I assumed was because he was worried about foul trouble with Saric no longer available behind him. The change in Ayton's defense felt to me like the biggest swing in the series, but it's also true that Antetokounmpo was getting stronger with every game.

There was all you said and Ayton was also more gassed as he was playing more minutes at a lower level of intensity. It the perfect storm for Milwaukee.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think Giannis was recovering from an injury in the first two games of the Finals.

I wouldn't discount the impact on Saric's injury in game 1. He was the backup behind Ayton. Defending Giannis largely fell on Ayton who had to be concerned about fouls.

I’m not discounting it. It hurt the team but Giannis wasn’t nursing anything when he scored 42/15 in Game 2 and even without Saric and we handled them with relative ease again. Losing one okay bench big shouldn’t have led to a back door 0-4 sweep. That happened because CP3 fell off a cliff and Booker was hit, miss or unbelievably got himself in terrible foul trouble before I believe he fouled out of a huge game 4.

 

[Chaplin]

I’m not discounting it. It hurt the team but Giannis wasn’t nursing anything when he scored 42/15 in Game 2 and even without Saric and we handled them with relative ease again. Losing one okay bench big shouldn’t have led to a back door 0-4 sweep. That happened because CP3 fell off a cliff and Booker was hit, miss or unbelievably got himself in terrible foul trouble before I believe he fouled out of a huge game 4.

Without Saric as a backup to Ayton, we had to rely on Frank and he was definitely not up to it. And it affected more than just Giannis' line. When Ayton wasn't in the game, we had nobody who could guard Giannis at all. I will say that our need to double team was extremely greater once Saric was no longer able to play. That left other guys open more often, and Jrue in particular picked us apart.

 

[Mainstreet]

I’m not discounting it. It hurt the team but Giannis wasn’t nursing anything when he scored 42/15 in Game 2 and even without Saric and we handled them with relative ease again. Losing one okay bench big shouldn’t have led to a back door 0-4 sweep. That happened because CP3 fell off a cliff and Booker was hit, miss or unbelievably got himself in terrible foul trouble before I believe he fouled out of a huge game 4.

It's a combination of all the above.

However, the Suns not having a backup center really hurt defensively. Monty had lost confidence in Kaminsky.

Once Giannis got going, the Bucks seized momentum and the Suns didn't have anyone to guard him beyond Ayton.

 

[Ronin]

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton 'has every intention of playing' in Game 6 of NBA Finals: Report

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton has "every intention of playing" in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN's Shams Charania said Thursday afternoon on "The Pat McAfee Show."

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Hoop Head]

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton 'has every intention of playing' in Game 6 of NBA Finals: Report

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton has "every intention of playing" in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN's Shams Charania said Thursday afternoon on "The Pat McAfee Show."

sports.yahoo.com

This could be nothing or it could be this generations Willis Reed game. Respect him suiting up.

 

[elindholm]

Without Saric as a backup to Ayton, we had to rely on Frank and he was definitely not up to it. And it affected more than just Giannis' line. When Ayton wasn't in the game, we had nobody who could guard Giannis at all. I will say that our need to double team was extremely greater once Saric was no longer able to play. That left other guys open more often, and Jrue in particular picked us apart.

And Middleton.

I'd forgotten that the last three games were decided by only 6, 4, and 7 points. Yes, the Suns got backdoor swept, but they remained competitive.

 

[Chaplin]

And Middleton.

I'd forgotten that the last three games were decided by only 6, 4, and 7 points. Yes, the Suns got backdoor swept, but they remained competitive.

And with the margin of victory for the Bucks, I don't think it's out of line to say that a healthy Saric in that series might have made a difference.

 

[BirdGangThing]

this series is haliburDONE

 

[95pro]

this series is haliburDONE

they will need a hali-mary

 

[Mainstreet]

Tyreses Haliburton will play in game 6 tonight.

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[Mainstreet]

Sweet move by Holmgren. OKC leads 4-1 early.