Celtics
Haliburton left Game 2 early and didn’t return.
Tyrese Haliburton is expected to miss Saturday’s Game 3 between the Celtics and Pacers, according to Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Haliburton, a star guard who led the NBA in assists this season, re-injured his left hamstring in the third quarter of Game 2. He left the game and didn’t return, as Boston built a 2-0 series lead.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski initially said he was “unlikely to play,” then he said he’s been ruled out.
“We went over the game plan in both scenarios, if he is gonna play and if he’s not,” Celtics forward Jayson Tatum told reporters. “We played in games without him and with him, so we’ve got some things that we worked on today and just ready for any scenario.”
Wojnarowski said Haliburton’s availability for Game 4 “remains in serious question,” noting that he Pacers will “err on the side of caution.”
Sean Grande, the play-by-play radio voice for the Celtics, noted that the Pacers are minus-17 with Haliburton against Boston this year and minus-65 without him.
The Celtics capitalized on Jimmy Butler missing the opening series and Donovan Mitchell sitting for part of the last series.
They’ve had some injury misfortune of their own, as Kristaps Porzingis remains sidelined with a soleus strain. He traveled with the team, is out for Game 3, and is questionable for Game 4.
Jrue Holiday is questionable for Game 3, as of 3 p.m. Saturday, with a non-COVID illness.
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