Even if you limp, you will have to fight to the end! Halliburton returns with injuries and gives a try tonight

NBA Finals are always the stage for heroes.

On June 20, 2025, the sixth game of the finals was about to begin. The Thunder held the championship point 3-2, and the Pacers fought back and had no choice but to retreat. Just as the outside world speculated that "Hariburton can go", Pacers coach Carlisle gave the toughest reply before the game:

"He plays! There is no time limit!"

Yes, even if the calf strain has not yet recovered, Tyres Halliburton still chose to stand on this floor that burns dreams. In the

G5 game, Halliburton left the court with a strained right calf, and the hearts of the fans also hung. That night, the Pacers lost their core engine and eventually lost at home in the Thunder, falling behind 2-3 in the series. After the game, many people thought that the Pacers were powerless to turn things around.

But Halliburton himself never intended to surrender.

"As long as I can still walk, I will definitely come on stage."

This is not empty talk. Not only did he finish the warm-up due to his injury, he also passed the strength test at 5 pm and received a green light permit from the medical team.

Carlisle said it clearly: "He plays today, and there is no time limit." But the Pacers coaching staff will always observe his condition. After all, once it deteriorates, the consequences may not only affect the game -- but also the entire future career. The league is not short of stars with explosive physical talents, nor is it short of skilled scorers. But at the most critical moment, there are only a handful of players who can play with gritting teeth and dragging their injured legs.

This is the concrete manifestation of the "Soul of Yincheng": no matter how cruel the fate is, it will cause the opponent the biggest trouble.

Haliburton has grown amazingly in the past two years, from the ball-handling brain to the leader on the court, and he has won the respect of fans one by one. And this time, his choice was not for data or for the media - but for the young and persistent Pacers behind him.

This is the first time they have touched the edge of the championship trophy in nearly two decades, and no one wants to give up easily.

For Halliburton, a calf strain may not be a severe laceration, but it is still a "high-risk action area". Running at high speed or stopping and changing direction without the muscles being fully recovered may lead to more serious secondary injuries.

But his choice ignited a glimmer of hope for the Pacers:

"He kept this team alive when everyone thought we should be eliminated."

More importantly, the Thunder is not invincible. Although Alexander is in great form, and Homegren and Jaylen Williams are extremely threatening, the Pacers are not without parrying – especially when Halliburton plays healthy.

In the past five games, he has averaged 21.3 points and 11.4 assists per game, and is the command center of Indiana's offense and defense.

He comes back, which means that the Pacers' rhythm, ball passes, and outside shots can all restore the sequence. If the Pacers can win a game at home, the series will enter a tiebreak battle, and everything is possible. And the key to all this has been written on Halliburton's legs.

A bandaged calf determines the fate of a city.

Carlisle admitted: "Of course we have to pay close attention to his physical condition, but he is ready." What does it mean without time limits? It means that he is not here to make a "symbolistic appearance", but to dominate the rhythm, organize the offense, and shoulder the burden.

other Pacers players should also understand that this is the opportunity the captain earns at the cost of health, and they cannot live up to it. In the finals of each year, there is always a moment that makes people remember not the champion, but the person who knows that they may fail but chooses to do their best.

Maybe the Pacers won't win tonight, maybe the Thunder will win the king away. But no matter what the result is, Halliburton's choice at this moment has become the most moving footnote to the 2025 Finals.

This is the purest thing about basketball:

Going on the battlefield with injuries, not for glory, only for brothers, not for winning or losing, just for no regrets. In the sixth game of the finals, the Pacers can no longer lose, Halliburton can no longer wait.

This may be their last battle this season, and it is also a microcosm of his desperate efforts to run his youth. Every possession of the ball, every breakthrough, every pass is a confrontation between him and fate.

When the whistle sounds, please remember this picture:

A young man with a bandage in his legs is still standing outside the three-point line and directs the tactics loudly.

He is not a completely healthy fighter, but he is one of the most backbone players of this era