Every athlete in the NBA seems to be able to touch the hearts of Chinese fans. No, the Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton was injured in the first half of the win over the Celtics.
On Jan. 9, the Pacers were "relieved" to announce that an MRI showed a first-degree tendon (hamstring) strain in Haliburton's left leg and that they would be re-evaluated in about two weeks.
This season, Haliburton is averaging 236 points and 12The five-assist stats have attracted the attention of fans and helped the team achieve a 20-13 record, but in his absence, the results could slip. The Pacers will play eight games before Haliburton reassesses the injury, and he will return as early as two weeks before the trade deadline and three weeks before the NBA All-Star Weekend, so Haliburton's injury raises some questions.
1. How will the Pacers perform in the absence of Tyrese Halliburton?
Currently, the Pacers have a 21-15 record this season, and he was 20-13 before he was injured, which means the team is 1-2 when he's not playing. The two losses were a 51-point loss to the Celtics and an 18-point loss to the Timberwolves. For now, McConnell and Andrew Nembard have taken Harry's place, but his scoring and playmaking will need to be filled by Buddy Hield and Bennedid Mathurin in order for Indiana to survive in the short term.
2. Will this change Indiana's trading plans?
The Pacers were one of the most surprising teams in the NBA in 2023-24, and despite their obvious defensive flaws, they have the best offense in league history, thanks in large part to Haliburton's playmaking and commanding skills. Now, the Pacers are seen as a team that will be active at the trade deadline, and given the Raptors' Pascal Siakam's all-around offensive and defensive prowess, he has the potential to be an Indiana helper and elevate the team to another competitive level.
If Haliburton remains out after the deadline, the Pacers could change course and develop young players like Isaiah Jackson, Jalen Smith, Obi Topping and rookie Jaras Walker. Deciding to stay on the ground and not become a buyer before the deadline can have a ripple effect on teams looking to transfer assets.
3. Will the injury affect Tyrese Halliburton's All-Star status?
In the NBA All-Star vote, Haliburton showed impressive, growing popularity ahead of all Eastern Conference guards with more than 1 million votes. If Haliburton's absence lasts longer than expected, what does that mean for the All-Star Game?
There are plenty of good guards in the Eastern Conference, including Milwaukee's Damian Lillard, Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, Atlanta's Tra Young, New York's Jalen Brunson, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell, and Boston's duo of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
4. Will this be the first case that will affect the All-Match team?
A few stars have missed games this year, but Haliburton's injury comes after he has become the favorite to be named to the All-Star team this year. The total value of a five-year contract jumped to 2The $600 million guy is especially important if he's on the All-Star team.
Under a new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players' association, players must be on the court for at least 20 minutes in 65 games to qualify for the All-NBA and MVP. If the injury is considered "end of season", the player must play 62 games.
Haliburton had already missed three games at the time of his injury and now has missed at least eight games, leaving him with six games left to play. However, Haliburton is young after all, and he can't make the best team this year, and there is next year and the year after.