NEW YORK — The Indiana Pacers listed star guard Tyrese Haliburton as questionable on the latest injury report ahead of Game 1 of their second-round series with the New York Knicks.
Haliburton is listed with a questionable status due to lower back spasms. He was listed on the injury report with that same ailment in the final three games of the first round, but he played in each outing.
"I locked up... My back just locked up," Haliburton said after Game 4, a dominant Pacers win. "I couldn't really move. Thank god for our amazing medical staff. There was a hot second there where I didn't think I was going to play."
The two-time All-Star guard averaged 16.0 points and 9.3 assists per game in the first round as Indiana toppled the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. It was the first playoff series win for the Pacers since 2014, and that set up their date with the Knicks.
Haliburton's offensive firepower and ability to run a high tempo offense is vital in the upcoming series against the Knicks. New York finished the regular season 30th in pace — they are on the opposite end of the spectrum from Indiana. The Knicks are more threatening on the glass, which makes their possessions much longer.
On top of Haliburton, the Pacers will be without Bennedict Mathurin. He's out for the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, so he won't play in this series. He's traveled with the team throughout the postseason.
The Knicks will be missing Julius Randle (right shoulder surgery) and Bojan Bogdanovic (left foot surgery) for the rest of the season. They will both miss the entire best-of-seven set with Indiana, which is a big blow to New York's depth.
Game 1 is tonight in New York City, and the Pacers will hope they have their star guard available to play. He averaged 19.7 points and 13.3 assists per game against the Knicks during the regular season. "It won't today," Haliburton said before Game 6 of the Pacers first-round series when asked if his back is bothering him in games.
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