June 23 (UPI) -- Tyrese Haliburton's first-quarter leg injury "sucked the soul" out of the Indiana Pacers early on in their devastating loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, forward Obi Topppin told reporters.
Toppin made the comments in the locker room after the 103-91 setback Sunday in Oklahoma City. The All-Star point guard conducted one of the league's best offenses throughout the regular season and postseason, but was forced to play through a calf injury in the NBA Finals.
He made three 3-pointers in a 92-second span in the first quarter, but aggravated his leg issue and collapsed to the floor about seven minutes into the game. He never returned.
"We needed Ty out there," Toppin said. "He's been good for us all year. For him to go down at the beginning of the game like that sucked that soul out of us. ... I don't feel like I played good because I was thinking about it the whole day and I felt like it was my fault."
Tyrese Haliburton went down with an injury in Game 7. pic.twitter.com/AZ1uk65dFg— ESPN (@espn) June 23, 2025
