Rick Carlisle’s latest update on Tyrese Haliburton offered a dose of optimism, even if the Indiana Pacers still don’t have their star guard on the floor.
Haliburton remained in Indianapolis while the team traveled to Mexico City, where the Pacers face the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at Arena CDMX. Carlisle said Friday that Haliburton is continuing treatment at home, including time in a hyperbaric chamber, as he works back from a left hamstring strain that will keep him out for a sixth straight game.
“He sends his regards to Mexico. He’s very disappointed he couldn’t make it, but it’s better for his rehab to stay at home and to be in the hyperbaric and to do all the treatment stuff,” Carlisle said.
Carlisle also said Haliburton is in good spirits and should be back “hopefully before too long.”
The coach had already set the timeline in motion on Oct. 28, when he said the strain was mild and Haliburton would be out at least two weeks before that night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Indiana lost that one 114-109.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the injury on Oct. 28.
Haliburton’s absence is a familiar headache for Indiana, but this one comes after a long road back. Before this season, he had not played since tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, and the Pacers went 19-63 without him last season, their worst record ever.
When he did play this year, the numbers popped immediately. Haliburton appeared in the first four games, averaging 21.8 points, 9.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 33 minutes while shooting 51.6% from the field and 37.0% from 3-point range.
Indiana went 2-2 in those games and is 1-4 without him. NBA.com’s on-off numbers have the Pacers 11.3 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the court.
This isn’t the first time the same hamstring has caused trouble. A strain of that hamstring cost him 10 of 11 games in January 2024, and he reinjured it that May before missing the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals, which the Boston Celtics won in four. The Oklahoma City Thunder beat Indiana 103-91 in that Game 7.
Carlisle said the focus now is on the work being done behind the scenes and on keeping the team moving forward.
“We have great training staff, and we’ve just got to work through those things,” Carlisle said. “Mother nature can be challenging, but whatever the amount of time it takes, it takes.
Our guys have done a good job of getting themselves healthy, but it does take time. We’ve got a lot of guys back now.
Tyrese will be back hopefully before too long.”
He added, “I don’t like to look backwards too much,” Carlisle said. “That’s why they say that in a car, the windshield is so much bigger than the rearview mirrors, because that’s what’s important, the windshield, what’s in the future. That was a tough thing for everybody to go through, but he’s done a great job with his rehab.”
Carlisle said Haliburton is handling the process well. “Obviously when he’s been on the floor, he’s played at a very high level this year,” Carlisle continued.
“Part of coming back is getting the body reacclimated, and this is all a part of it. But the hope is he’ll be back soon, and he’s in very good spirits.”
The Pacers are also navigating other injury issues around him. T.J.
McConnell, who has been out all season with a right hamstring strain, traveled with the team. Kelly Oubre Jr. is listed as questionable for Saturday, along with McConnell, and that’s the first time McConnell has carried that designation this season.
Ben Sheppard is out after surgery on his left meniscus, and Johnny Furphy is out while he recovers from surgery on his right ACL.
Braden Smith, a rookie on a two-way contract, has started the last two games at point guard.
Ivica Zubac and Obi Toppin returned Wednesday in Memphis, where Indiana beat the Grizzlies 107-103 to end a five-game losing streak. Zubac had missed five games with a left ankle sprain, and Toppin had missed three with a lumbar sprain.
Oubre said the group understands what’s in front of it.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Oubre said. “They’re two monumental pieces to this team.
But at the end of the day, man, we’ve been preaching next man up. We have to hold it down for our brothers until they come back.
And just simple as that. We have to go out there and play even harder to kind of make up for their absences.
So it’s going to be fun.”
Aaron Nesmith echoed that same idea.
“We just got to lean on each other and trust one another and believe that the next person is gonna make the right play,” Nesmith said.
Carlisle said on Oct. 28 that he would provide another update on Haliburton in two weeks. Two weeks from that date is Wednesday, when Indiana hosts the Washington Wizards at 7 p.m. ET.
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