NBA News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

NBA Fans Compare Tyrese Haliburton's Finals Injury to Kevin Durant

Originally posted on Golden State Warriors on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The 2025 NBA Finals may not have been one of the most anticipated heading into it, but by the time the two teams battled to get to a Game 7, everyone was dying to see how it ended. Ultimately, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder won, as the Indiana Pacers' path came at a horrible price.

Just seven minutes into Sunday's big game, Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with an Achilles injury, sidelining him for the rest of the night. Of course, like many players would do in the NBA Finals, Haliburton was playing through a calf strain, but now he suffered an injury much worse because of it.

Many fans saw Haliburton's injury and immediately thought of what happened in the 2019 Finals. Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant came back from a calf strain to play in the Finals against the Toronto Raptors, but just a couple of minutes into the second quarter of Game 5, his first game back, he suffered a similar fate as Haliburton.

Durant tore his Achilles and would go on to miss the entire 2019-20 season, and many fans have gone to social media to share how similar this Haliburton situation feels.

Via @JoshEberley: "2019 Finals, Durant comes back, starts 3-of-5 before the Achilles.

2025 Finals, Haliburton plays hurt, starts 3-5 before the Achilles.

Just cruel misfortune at the highest highs"

2019 Finals, Durant comes back, starts 3-of-5 before the Achilles.

2025 Finals, Haliburton plays hurt, starts 3-5 before the Achilles.

Just cruel misfortune at the highest highs https://t.co/7TNO8309mk
— Josh Eberley (@JoshEberley) June 23, 2025

Via @KachineAlexis: "Man playing with a strained calf or any kind of calf injury is risky. I get it tho it’s game 7! I have seen too many times it leads to a torn Achilles. Kevin Durant did the same thing with the warriors. Prays up to Haliburton "

Man playing with a strained calf or any kind of calf injury is risky. I get it tho it’s game 7! I have seen too many times it leads to a torn Achilles. Kevin Durant did the same thing with the warriors. Prays up to Haliburton
— (@KachineAlexis) June 23, 2025

Via @loebsleads: "It’s Kevin Durant all over again man.

Prayers up for Tyrese Haliburton"

It’s Kevin Durant all over again man.

Prayers up for Tyrese Haliburton
— Max Loeb (@loebsleads) June 23, 2025

Via NoliEala: "The injury of Tyrese brings back memories of Kevin Durant some years back. Tried to play through the same calf strain and ended up with a major Achilles injury. Haliburton knew the risk but he said “if I can stand, I will play”. Not many players built that way anymore."

The injury of Tyrese brings back memories of Kevin Durant some years back. Tried to play through the same calf strain and ended up with a major Achilles injury. Haliburton knew the risk but he said “if I can stand, I will play”. Not many players built that way anymore.
— Noli Eala (@NoliEala) June 23, 2025

Haliburton likely knew the risk of playing through his calf injury, and still decided to be out there with his teammates and try to bring them to a championship. Of course, it may cost him his 2025-26 season, but fans have shown plenty of respect to the Pacers star for putting it all on the line.

This article first appeared on Golden State Warriors on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: