Haliburton's Struggles Plague Pacers in Game 5 Loss to Thunder

Tyrese Haliburton's Struggles Plague Pacers in NBA Finals Game 5 Loss

The Indiana Pacers are on the brink of elimination after a 120-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Thunder now lead the series 3-2, leaving the Pacers facing a must-win situation in Game 6. The main story coming out of Monday night's game is the unexpected struggles of Pacers' star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Haliburton, typically a reliable offensive force, had a night to forget. He failed to score a single point in the first half – a first in his postseason career. His final stat line of just four points marks a playoff career low and the first time he's been held without a made basket in a playoff game.

These struggles couldn't have come at a worse time for Indiana. To win the series, the Pacers need Haliburton to be at his best, but an apparent injury may be impacting his performance.

Pacers forward Pascal Siakam acknowledged Haliburton's ongoing battle with a lower right leg injury that seems to be affecting his ability to play at his highest level. "I don't know exactly what's wrong, but I know he's fighting and he's going to give us everything he's got," Siakam stated.

Haliburton's slow starts have been a concerning trend throughout the NBA Finals. He's averaging just 5.8 points in the first halves of games, shooting only 39.3% from the field. While he's had stronger second halves, it's difficult to overcome a large deficit against a team as defensively sound as the Thunder.

The Thunder's defense, led by Luguentz Dort, has made it exceptionally difficult for Haliburton to find his rhythm. Meanwhile, the Thunder's offense has been firing on all cylinders. Jalen Williams exploded for a playoff career-high 40 points, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's MVP, added 31 points and 10 assists.

T.J. McConnell and Pascal Siakam led a third quarter push for the Pacers. However, the Thunder proved to be too much.

The biggest question now is Haliburton's status for Game 6. Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that Haliburton is not at 100%, but expects him to play. Despite the injury, Carlisle praised Haliburton's second-half effort.

The Pacers need Haliburton to elevate his game and be a significant contributor to have any hope of extending the series to a Game 7. They need him to be the player who can spark the offense and lead the team, not a supporting player.