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The Indiana Pacers have their backs against the wall as they are now down 3-2 in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers traveled to OKC for Game 5 on Monday night, and it was a convincing performance from the Thunder who have played well at home during this series despite the Game 1 loss. The biggest issue for Indiana in this game was the Tyrese Haliburton no-show. He was dealing with some calf tightness, and he finished with just four points in the 120-109 loss.
With Tyrese Haliburton completely shut down, it's surprising how close the Pacers kept this game. If Haliburton had a decent game, this one could've ended much differently. Instead, the Thunder are just one win away from winning the NBA Finals. The Pacers are facing elimination and need to win on Thursday night to force a Game 7.
In Game 5, Haliburton went 0-6 from the floor in 34 minutes and finished with four points at the free throw line. It was an atrocious performance, and fans are buzzing about it.
“It's almost like Tyrese Haliburton is a great front-runner: When he's motivated and can control the game from the jump or at the very least not struggle, he's great,” one fan said. “But when he gets shut down early, he can't find his way past it. And it happens way too often…”
While this stat sounds crazy, this fan is not telling a lie.
“If you find yourself feeling down or inadequate in the near future, just cling to this important truth: you and Tyrese Haliburton hit the same amount of field goals in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals,” the fan said.
A lot of people don't think that Haliburton belongs in the superstar discussion despite his numerous heroic shots in the postseason, and they were thrilled to see him have an off game on Monday.
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“Yall really couldn’t wait for Tyrese Haliburton to have a terrible game,” a fan wrote. “It’s insane the level of hate I’m seeing on this app right now.”
The Pacers are down 3-2 in the series and it is going to be tough to find a way to win this series. If they can't get it done, Haliburton's insane game-winner during this run will be remembered fondly by Indiana fans.
“No matter how inconsistent Tyrese Haliburton is, this 2025 playoff run will always be remembered for the good not the ugly,” a fan wrote.
Even Pacers fans understand that Haliburton is going to hear about this one. It was the biggest game of his career, and he failed to show up.
“I love Tyrese Haliburton but he’s gotta get the lashings on the timeline the game is the game,” another fan wrote.
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers will look to force a Game 7 on Thursday night when the series shifts back to Indiana. The Pacers and Thunder will get underway at 8:30 ET from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and the game will be airing on ABC. OKC is currently favored by 5.5 points.
