On June 17, the Indiana Pacers lost 109-120 in the NBA Finals Game 5 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a devastating loss for the Pacers, especially when having the odds against them with Tyrese Haliburton suffering from a leg injury.

In Oklahoma City, Game 5 of the NBA Finals took place with the Indiana Pacers up against the Thunder. Even before the match, there were already many problems for the Pacers. They continued to lose great opportunities that would help them win their match. Now, with one of their players’ health in question, they are getting even more worried.

Tyrese Haliburton, one of the Pacers’ most important players, got injured in the early parts of the match. He managed to stay on the court for most of the remaining time, but was seen walking slowly and unsteadily at the end of the game. It is believed that he has suffered from a lower leg injury. “No clue, man, honestly,” Haliburton said when asked about how his health was.

Another blow for the Pacers was that T.J. McConnell, another great player on the team, sat on the bench for nearly three quarters of the game. “He was very tired. That’s why we got him out,” said their coach, Rick Carlisle. Even though McConnell played excellently in the third quarter, scoring 13 points in seven minutes, he still sat out in the fourth quarter. It is hard to say what would have happened if McConnell had played throughout the game.

Turnovers were also a large reason for their loss, since according to Carlisle, turnovers were at the top of the Pacers’ list of problems. The Pacers suffered from 23 turnovers that led to losing 32 points to the Thunder. Pascal Siakam, with a team-high 28 points, said, “I think it starts with me.” He aims to do better in the next rounds, considering the significant number of turnovers.

The Pacers aim to do a better job in Game 6 overall as a team in “taking care of the ball,” as Haliburton said. With this goal in mind, they wish to fix their mistakes and have a chance in Game 6.