The Indiana Pacers’ 103-91 defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder concluded the team’s memorable postseason run.
Indiana Pacers fans won’t forget this defeat for quite some time. Why? Well, due to their star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffering a horrific torn Achilles injury in the first quarter.
Prior to getting injured, Haliburton was on a terrific run as he already had 9 points in just 7 minutes of playing time. From the looks of it, Hali was on a path for a sensational game, but instead, he will now likely miss the entire 2025-26 season.
Suffering a gruesome injury like the Achilles tear in the postseason is as unfortunate as it can get for any NBA player.
But what’s surprising is the fact that Haliburton’s injury is not an isolated case. Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum suffered a season-ending injury in the second round.
Before Tatum, Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard also tore his Achilles in the first round. And now, Haliburton has joined that unfortunate list.
Keeping that in mind, former Pacers guard Victor Oladipo went on a furious rant on his X handle.
“In the Finals? So we’re just going to keep playing, right? Like it’s okay, right? Like it ain’t happen huh? Like this is just part of it, right? But what would this playoff run be without Hali? What about Dame, what about JT, and so many others,” Oladipo wrote on X.
“I bet we will just blame it on the moment though lol and hey, he’s got millions right so he will be alright huh? So what truly matters? The Athlete? It’s all good, though,” he added.
The increase in the number of season-ending injuries, like a torn Achilles or ACL, is a worrying sign for the league, and maybe it’s time for the NBA to reduce the players’ workload.
Oladipo wasn’t done just yet as he promised to bring change to the NBA. A change where his fellow NBA players do not have to suffer such injuries and still be called out by fans and media.
“I promise you I’m going to be a part of this change. It doesn’t have to be a norm or just part of the game anymore in any sport. We can and will protect the players better,” Oladipo continued.
“Y’all enjoy the rest of the game, though. Rest up, Hali bro, this will make you stronger,” he concluded.
While players like Oladipo work on this ‘change,’ the NBA must find a reason behind the rise in the number of Achilles tears in the modern era.
Former NBA star Nick Van Exel blamed modern sneakers for such injuries. Could that be it? Well, only the league can confirm that.
