Update: According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Haliburton's MRI revealed a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, which will sideline him for at least two weeks.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered a gruesome-looking injury against the Celtics and had to be carried off the court. The guard was driving to the hoop midway through the second quarter when his foot slipped out from under him as he tried to plant. Haliburton fell awkwardly to the floor, writhing in pain. The Pacers later announced he'd suffered a left hamstring strain and would not return.
Haliburton draped a towel over his head as a pair of teammates lifted him in the air and carried him off into the locker room. He had seven points and six assists in 13 minutes before going down.
The star guard is in the midst of the best season of his four-year career, averaging 24.2 points, 12.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He made his first All-Star game a year ago in a breakout campaign, averaging 20.7 points, 10.4 assists and 3.7 boards.
Senior NBA Writer Matt Moore notes this is a significant blow to the Pacers.
"The Pacers might be screwed here. They have gone 8-21 straight up (10-18-1 ATS) without Haliburton the last two seasons. He's not just their best player, he's the primary engine of everything they want to do. I project him worth 5.8 points per game to the spread, a +3.8 differential over replacement minutes expected from TJ McConnell.
With it diagnosed a hamstring strain, the Pacers might have dodged a bullet here. Per Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes, a hamstring strain can result in between 5 and 10 games missed. Of course, a more severe tear can lead to the possibility of surgery which would mean months of recovery. The next step is Haliburton's MRI Tuesday with results likely released or reported by late afternoon.
Haliburton currently ranks No. 1 for offensive estimated plus-minus at DunksAndThrees.com, worth +8.2 points per 100 possessions to the offense, schedule-adjusted."
The Pacers entered the night seventh in the Eastern Conference at 20-15. They were +12000 to win the title and +450 to win the conference at DraftKings at the time of the injury.
