Which Indiana Pacers players are injured for game 3 against Boston?

The Pacers have it all to do heading into tonight’s Game 3 with it all to do if they are to have any chance of advancing to the NBA final. Rick Carlisle’s team trail 0-2 in the series - a situation they have been in before, they lost the first two games of the last round to the Knicks only to bounce back. Repeating that against the physically imposing Celtics, that might be too much to ask although at least they will have the support of their own fans for the next two games and remain unbeaten at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during this year’s playoffs.

Haliburton’s hamstring issues

To make matters worse, star point guard Tyrese Haliburton retired during the third quarter of Thursday’s game at TC Garden with a suspected hamstring injury. More worryingly, is that the problem seems to be with the player’s left thigh, which he has had issues with fairly recently. Haliburton sat out five regular season games in early-January after straining his hamstring in the second quarter of the 133-131 win against the Celtics. He returned on 19 January, starting the Week 42 game against the Trail Blazers but suffered a relapse and missed the next five games. The Pacers went 6-4 without him.

“Losing Ty for the game is a big blow,” Carlisle told the media in hos post-game press conference. “[It’s] left hamstring. We’ll know more tomorrow [on Friday] and probably even more on Saturday. It’s the left hamstring. I believe that’ the same hamstring as before? So, it’s sore. I know there’s HIPPA laws and stuff like that. I guess I could pretty safely say, y’know it’s sore, aggravated... I know you want details. I don’t have much - other than it’s sore”.

Haliburton’s injury status is listed as Day-to-Day which is encouraging and means he will be evaluated on the day of game, and while he has a good chance of playing Game 3, Carlisle’s medical team won’t want to risk him if there is a chance of aggravating the injury or suffering a more serious injury - especially if the Pacers can claw a game back or tie the series at home.

In Game 2, Haliburton finished with 10 points, eight assists and had four rebounds with 2 of 6 from 3-point range. During the postseason, Ty has averaged 18.7 points, 8.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds Apart from Haliburton, the only other player on the Pacer’s injury list ahead of Game 3 is Bennedict Mathurin who underwent season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in March.