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**Pacers’ Haliburton Suited Up for Crucial Game 6 Against Thunder**

**INDIANAPOLIS -** Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton played in Game 6 of the NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, despite a strained right calf. After being a game-time decision, Haliburton passed a pre-game strength test, allowing him to take the court in a must-win situation for Indiana.

Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed there would be no pre-determined minutes restriction for Haliburton. “We will watch and monitor things very closely from the beginning of the game through the entirety of the game and we’ll go from there,” Carlisle stated before the game.

Haliburton’s availability was in question after he aggravated an existing lower right leg injury, suffering a calf strain in Game 5. Despite the injury, he finished the game, playing 34 minutes, although he struggled, scoring only four points. He underwent intensive treatment, including hyperbaric chamber sessions and various therapies, after an MRI confirmed the calf strain.

Prior to Game 6, Haliburton was seen wearing a compression sleeve on his right leg during warmups. Before the injury, Haliburton averaged 15 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.2 rebounds through the first five games of the series.

With the Pacers trailing the series 3-2, Carlisle emphasized the stakes: “We’ve got a job to do tonight. We’ve got to get ready to battle a team that has been the best team in the league all year long. It’s a tough game. It’s an elimination game. There’s a lot going on.” A win would force a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City.

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