NBA's Tyrese Haliburton Sidelined Again Just Four Games After Return... Indiana Faces Injury Crisis

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton of the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been sidelined again just four games after returning to the court following a lengthy 16-month injury layoff.

According to ESPN on the 29th (Korean time), Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle announced that Haliburton was diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain and will miss at least two weeks.

Coach Carlisle added, "It is realistically difficult for Haliburton to return within two weeks. We will monitor his status on a week-to-week basis."

Haliburton, who tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA Finals and was away from the court for 16 months, made an emotional return by leading his team to victory in this season's opening game.

He had been performing strongly in his four games since, averaging 33 minutes, 21.8 points, 9.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds with a 52 percent field goal percentage.

However, after the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on the 28th, he complained of fatigue and pain, ultimately landing back on the injured list.

This is not his first time suffering a left hamstring injury.

He injured the same area in January 2024, missing 10 games, and experienced a recurrence of the pain during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics that same year, causing him to sit out the final two games.

Indiana's early-season plans have hit a red alert with the loss of their ace.

Indiana managed only 19 wins, the lowest single-season total in franchise history, during the 2025-2026 season when Haliburton was sidelined for the entirety of the campaign.

To make matters worse, injuries are piling up across the team beyond Haliburton.

With Ivica Zubac (ankle) and T.J. McConnell (hamstring) already sidelined, Ben Sheppard has been ruled out for several months following knee meniscus surgery, and Johnny Furphy has also undergone cruciate ligament surgery.

Andrew Nembhard's status is also uncertain due to neck pain, making it a struggle for the team to even piece together a starting lineup.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.