Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribene / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pacers' Rick Carlisle Shares Why Tyrese Haliburton 'Will Be Away' From Indiana

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Evan Tiwari | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 8:49 AM ET

Facing a turbulent season following last year's NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Indiana Pacers' misery has been compounded by a new injury update regarding star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed on Sunday that Haliburton has been diagnosed with shingles and will be away from the team for a few weeks.

"It's a very painful thing," Carlisle said. "He will make a full recovery, but this happened over the last few days. He was meeting us in D.C. and had some odd symptoms, and he came back here. That's what's happening with him. We certainly wish him a speedy recovery. It's a unique case and a unique situation, but I talked to him a few times, and he's always in a good mood, so he'll get through it."

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans.Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Shingles is a painful, blistering rash caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox. Major symptoms include itching, burning and tingling, followed by a fluid-filled rash. Haliburton has been a regular feature on the Pacers bench this season, but following this development, fans might not see him attending games for a while.

This illness is in addition to ruptured right Achilles tendon that Haliburton suffered in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder in 2025, which ruled him out for the 2025-2026 season. The dynamic point guard underwent surgery in June, with his rehab projected to take 12 to 15 months.

Without Haliburton, the Pacers have been in dire straits this season, sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 15-43 record. They are on a three-game losing streak, with the most recent loss coming Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks.

In Haliburton's absence, Canadian guard Andrew Nembhard has picked up point guard duties for the team, averaging a career-high 7.5 assists per game. T.J. McConnell has been his partner in crime off the bench, averaging 4.7 assists per game.

Indiana hosts the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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