Sources: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton out for Game 3

ByABC News
May 25, 2024, 3:19 PM

Indiana Pacers All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton is out for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night because of a hamstring strain and his availability for Game 4 on Monday is in serious question, sources told ESPN.

The Pacers and Haliburton will reassess the strain ahead of Game 4 before making a final decision on his ability to play, sources said. The Pacers intend to err on the side of caution with their franchise star's injury.

Boston leads the best-of-seven series 2-0 and the loss of Haliburton looms large for the Pacers' chances of getting back into this series.

Haliburton -- who missed 10 games in January with the same injury -- aggravated the hamstring in Thursday's Game 2 loss to the Celtics in Boston.

Haliburton averaged 20.1 points and a league-leading 10.9 assists in a regular season that earned him third-team All-NBA honors. The Pacers are plus-59 with Haliburton on the floor this season and minus-35 without him, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Meanwhile, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday was downgraded to questionable with a non-COVID illness ahead of Game 3.  Kristaps Porzingis remains out.