'Gut-punched' Reggie Miller lays bare emotions to Tyrese Haliburton and Pacers nation after devastating Finals loss

Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller laid out his emotions in a touching Instagram post, reaching out to Tyrese Haliburton and Co. following their loss in the NBA Finals. The Pacers reached the 2025 NBA Finals as the underdogs and took the OKC Thunder to Game 7 thanks to their grit and unmatched teamwork.

Unfortunately, all the wear and tear from the season caught up to Haliburton, who tore his ACL just seven minutes into the first quarter of Game 7. With the Pacers guard out, the Thunder rallied to a 103-91 win.

After the game, Reggie Miller posted a message on Instagram showing support for Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers:

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“I felt the gut punch to Pacer Nation, not only from the loss, but the loss of our fearless leader @tyresehaliburton. The man upstairs always has a master plan and 'this too shall pass.'

“I’m very grateful of the @pacers TEAM for bringing so much pride, grit and togetherness back to Indiana basketball.. Masterful job on the sideline Coach Rick Carlisle, and let’s not forget about all the men and women who work in the Front Offices who sacrifice a lot of their time to make things happen.”

Their run might have come to a disappointing end, but it was legendary nonetheless. The Pacers, being underdogs throughout the playoffs, reached Game 7 and were 48 minutes away from winning the organization’s first-ever championship.

How long is Tyrese Haliburton expected to be out with his latest injury?

From the looks of it and as per his father, Tyrese Haliburton has suffered an Achilles injury, which will require both surgery and months of rehab to properly recover from. In the past, similar injuries have caused players to miss entire seasons before they’re ready to hit the court again.

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When Kevin Durant tore his Achilles during the 2019 NBA Finals, he didn’t return to the floor until the 2020-21 season. It is therefore likely that Haliburton will miss a huge portion, or perhaps the entirety, of 2025-26.

A heartbreaking outcome for the Pacers, who established themselves as one of the best teams in the league. After the disappointment of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Pacers will surely look to come back with the same tenacity next season.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Nadim El Kak