Tyrese Haliburton’s Game 4 status in question with Pacers on brink

Tyrese Haliburton missed the Indiana Pacers’ Sport 3 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday evening due to a hamstring pressure and his availability for Sport 4 of the Japanese Convention finals on Monday is in critical query, sources instructed ESPN.

The Pacers and Haliburton will reassess the pressure forward of Sport 4 earlier than making a remaining choice on his means to play, sources mentioned. The Pacers intend to err on the facet of warning with their franchise star’s harm.

“Tyrese very a lot needs to play,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned earlier than Sport 3 in Indianapolis. “He desperately needs to play. However the choice on tonight was taken out of his arms earlier within the day. It was decided that tonight was not an choice. He’s feeling higher; we’ll see the place he’s on Monday.”

Indiana fought valiantly in Saturday evening’s 114-111 loss however Boston erased an 18-point deficit to take the lead within the remaining minute and put the sport away. The win provides the Celtics a commanding 3-0 sequence lead heading into Sport 4.

Haliburton — who missed 10 video games in January with the identical harm — aggravated the hamstring in Thursday’s Sport 2 loss to the Celtics in Boston.

Haliburton averaged 20.1 factors and a league-leading 10.9 assists in an everyday season that earned him third-team All-NBA honors. The Pacers are plus-59 with Haliburton on the ground this season and minus-35 with out him, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Info analysis.

In the meantime, Celtics guard Jrue Vacation was cleared to play about 45 minutes earlier than tipoff after being downgraded to questionable with a non-COVID sickness earlier Saturday. Backup huge man Luke Kornet was dominated out with a wrist harm. Kristaps Porzingis (calf) stays out.