While thankfully not a significant sample size, the Indiana Pacers have gone 0-4 when Tyrese Haliburton is out with an injury this season. Zero wins in his absence isn’t good, but up against the Pacers overall record (35-28), it’s not terrible either. Unfortunately, that 0-4 record can move to 0-5 or worse as long as Indiana’s 2x All-Star guard remains out due to his current injury. With the middle of the Eastern Conference, where Indiana sits, bunched up as it is, the Pacers can’t afford to lose any more ground before they start moving toward a play-in scenario. Getting Haliburton back is crucial. However, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle isn’t so sure when that will happen.
Pacers’ Rick Carlisle Claims Injured Star ‘Not Ready’ To Return
Indiana Pacers HC Rick Carlisle Updates Tyrese Haliburton’s Injury Status
Similar to the Milwaukee Bucks, who had a terrible start to the season, Indiana, too, had their troubles early on. Call it a hangover from reaching the East Finals last season or something else, but the Pacers underperformed for much of the first portion of the year. Like the Bucks, though, the Pacers slowly began a turnaround and now sit in a playoff spot. Coincidently, they’re just one spot under the Bucks, with one game separating each team in both the win and loss columns (Bucks 4th seed, Pacers 5th seed). You could still label Indiana’s season as underperformance compared to last; however, I’m sure Carlisle will take the position they’re in right now instead of sitting on the outside looking in.
Haliburton’s injury, a left hip flexor strain, kept him out of his third consecutive game on Monday, a 121-103 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Indiana has a quick turnaround against the team they’re trying to catch tonight, Milwaukee. Haliburton is likely out, and according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, Haliburton’s return is uncertain, and his coach doesn’t have a concrete answer.
“Tyrese is not ready,” Carlisle said during his pregame media session. “He’s out. He’s getting closer, he’s just not there yet. Not sure where this is going to be (Tuesday for the home game against the Bucks) but today is not the day.” Carlisle’s statement doesn’t sound like Haliburton will lace up against the Bucks, and it may take a couple more games or so. Even worse for Indiana is that Milwaukee is coming off of back-to-back losses, and going up two games on the Pacers in the standings will be solid motivation to take advantage of Haliburton’s absence.
A Challenging Stretch Ahead
Considering how poor the Eastern Conference is doing in the general sense, Indiana shouldn’t fear too much about falling in the standings. Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, and Orlando, who all claim play-in spots as of today, aren’t playing well enough to vault themselves upward in threatening fashion. Realistically, none of those teams pose a significant threat to Indiana. That being said, the remaining schedule isn’t a cakewalk for Indiana, either.
In their 19 games remaining, Indiana faces both Milwaukee and Minnesota twice each, the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento, OKC, Denver, and Cleveland twice. A matchup against Orlando slides in between bouts with the Cavaliers to close out the season’s last three games. Suffice it to say, it’s not an easy road, further emphasizing their need for Haliburton’s quick return to play. In the worst-case scenario, Indiana falls to a play-in spot. However, provided Haliburton returns either this week or next, Indiana’s chances of holding on to their current place in the East are much higher.
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