Haliburton: Rise in Achilles tears likely 'bad luck'

Tyrese Haliburton weighed successful connected the statement surrounding the uptick successful Achilles injuries crossed the NBA past season, saying helium doesn't judge there's a definitive reply beyond that of atrocious luck.

Haliburton is successful the midst of betterment from his ain Achilles tear, which helium suffered aboriginal successful Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was the 3rd subordinate to endure an Achilles teardrop successful the playoffs and the seventh wide past season.

"I deliberation that there's similar a conception erstwhile guys get injured oregon erstwhile this has happened truthful galore times that everybody thinks that they person the reply to wherefore this is happening," Haliburton said Tuesday connected ESPN's "Pat McAfee Show" successful his archetypal nationalist quality since the injury. "Everybody thinks we play excessively galore games, we play excessively galore minutes -- each those things could beryllium existent but I don't deliberation that is what's causing these injuries."

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has besides stated helium doesn't judge the fig of games oregon magnitude of minutes are a large contributing factor, telling ESPN earlier this summertime that the bulk of Achilles injuries hap successful the archetypal fractional of the season.

"So I don't deliberation that anybody has needfully the answer," Haliburton said. "I deliberation injuries are conscionable atrocious luck sometimes and that's conscionable what happened. I deliberation that's conscionable what happens successful sports sometimes."

Haliburton's close Achilles tendon teardrop happened arsenic helium was playing connected a calf strain helium was officially diagnosed with aft Game 5 -- nevertheless helium was seen favoring the limb arsenic aboriginal arsenic aft Game 2. Haliburton passed a calf accent trial earlier Game 6 that allowed him to play and said helium was feeling large going into Game 7.

"After Game 6, I'm similar 'it's done, it's gone, adrenaline is going to get to me, I'm going to beryllium good,'" Haliburton said. "I spell to Game 7, I consciousness nothing. I consciousness large going into the game. I deliberation that's wherefore I had a large commencement to the game. My assemblage felt great. Then obviously, that happens successful the end."

Now a period past surgery, Haliburton is inactive getting astir connected a scooter; the Pacers person already ruled him retired for each of adjacent season. He says he's talked with some Kevin Durant -- who tore his Achilles during the 2019 Finals -- and Jayson Tatum, who suffered an Achilles teardrop lone a fewer weeks earlier Haliburton.

The Pacers constituent defender says his extremity is to usage the clip betwixt present and his expected instrumentality successful 2026-27 the champion mode helium can.

"I deliberation I privation to instrumentality this clip to support increasing my caput for the game. Being astir manager [Rick] Carlisle. Sit successful connected coaches meetings. [Pacers president of hoops operations Kevin] Pritchard, talking to those guys and helping. I consciousness similar I person a beauteous decent hoops caput myself. So I'm conscionable trying to assistance the guys arsenic champion arsenic I can. I'm going to beryllium connected the seat arsenic soon arsenic I tin walk."