The Pacers are in danger of elimination heading into Game 4 against the Celtics, and all eyes will be on Indiana's star player to see if he'll be available.
Tyrese Haliburton suffered a hamstring injury late in Game 2 of Indiana's series against Boston. He missed the fourth quarter of Indiana's 126-110 loss and the entirety of the team's 114-111 loss in Game 3.
While the Pacers have put in a respectable effort without Haliburton, they will no doubt be pleased to have him back to help them avoid elimination. Haliburton is averaging 18.7 points, 8.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game during the postseason. His excellent passing ability and 37.9% shooting from three-point range (a team-high 9.3 attempts per game) have been vital to Indiana's offensive success.
But will Haliburton be healthy enough to play in Game 4? Here's what you need to know about his status as the Pacers try to avoid a landslide victory at home in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals.
MORE: How many NBA teams have come back from three straight series losses in the playoffs?
Is Tyrese Haliburton playing tonight?
According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Haliburton will miss Game 4 of the Pacers vs. Celtics series.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported early Monday that Haliburton was unlikely to play in Game 4, and Vardon's reporting makes that official.
NBA Today reports on Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton ahead of Game 4 pic.twitter.com/jmj2xwxp76
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 27, 2024
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said after Game 3 that Haliburton wanted to play but the decision was “not in his hands.”
“He's feeling better and better and we'll see how it goes on Monday,” Carlisle told reporters.
This gave Pacers fans hope that Haliburton could return to the lineup, but Wojnarowski reported before Game 3 that the Pacers were going to take a cautious approach with Haliburton, which is different from how the Knicks handled OG Anunoby in Game 7 of their series against the Pacers.
“The Pacers are going to be cautious with this left hamstring injury,” Wojnarowski explained before Game 3, “so this may be the last time we see Tyrese Haliburton in this series.”
.Follow Here's an update on Tyrese Haliburton's hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/UNZaa3iLeL
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 26, 2024
The Pacers replaced Haliburton with Ben Sheppard in Game 3, but Andrew Nembard and TJ McConnell filled in for the most part, combining for 55 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists in 68 minutes of play.
Considering how well this arrangement has worked, it seems likely Carlisle will lean on this rotation again with Haliburton sidelined, and the Pacers just need to play a bit better in the fourth quarter to secure their first win of the series.
Read more: Why NBA fans blame 65-game rule for Tyrese Haliburton's hamstring injury
Celtics vs Pacers start time
Date: Monday, May 27th Time: 8pm ET
The Celtics vs Pacers game is scheduled to start at 8 PM ET on Monday, May 27. The game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
What channel will today's Celtics vs Pacers game be on?
TV Channel: ESPNLive Stream: Sling
The Celtics vs. Pacers game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, and viewers can also stream the game on Sling.
Sling is the perfect destination for sports fans as it offers a wide range of channels, so you can cheer on your favorite teams any time with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1, and more.
Streaming: Watch NBA Playoff Games Live on Sling
Celtics vs Pacers game schedule
Here is the full schedule for the Celtics vs. Pacers NBA playoff series:
(1) Celtics vs. (6) Pacers — Boston leads 3-0
Date Game Time (ET) TV/Live Stream May 21 Celtics 133, Pacers 128 (OT) ——May 23 Celtics 126, Pacers 110 ——May 25 Celtics 114, Pacers 111 ——May 27 Game Time 48pm ESPN, SlingMay 29 Game Time 5pm* 8pm ESPN, SlingMay 31 Game Time 6pm* 8pm ESPN, SlingJune 2 Game Time 7pm* 8pm ESPN, Sling
*If necessary