The Indiana Pacers played final quarter and a half in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals without their All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. Already down in the series against the Boston Celtics, the Pacers will have to rely on their other scorers to help them battle back.
Haliburton left the game midway through the third quarter, with the Pacers' X account later confirming he would not return due to left leg soreness. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski later confirmed that the injury was hamstring-related.
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Most concerning for the Pacers is that Haliburton injured the same left hamstring back in January, also against the Celtics. The injury caused him to miss the next five games. Haliburton returned for one game after some time off, but was once again shut down for the following five games.
Haliburton ended Game 2 with 10 points, eight assists, and a steal in his 28 minutes of play, as the Celtics pulled away for a 126-110 win to take a 2-0 series lead.
With Haliburton sidelined, the Pacers will likely lean on Pascal Siakam for the brunt of their scoring. Siakam led the Pacers in the regular season, averaging 21.3 points per game, and scored 28 points in Game 2.
The two-time All-Star's next chance to hit the floor will be Saturday night when the Pacers return home for their Game 3 against the Celtics.
