Haliburton out again with a hamstring strain, four games into his comeback - how worried should Pacers fans be?
Tyrese Haliburton is set to miss time with a left hamstring strain, per ESPN, just four games into his return from the torn right Achilles that cost him all of last season. He looked like himself in those four games, 21.8 points and 9.5 assists on 52 percent shooting, and the Pacers are 2-2 heading into tonight home game against the 76ers. But Indiana is already down TJ McConnell and with Andrew Nembhard questionable with a neck issue, the backcourt is thin. Is this just a normal hamstring tweak to manage carefully, or does a new leg injury this soon after an Achilles tear change how you see his whole season?
2 answers
- Nembhard has to hold the fort, and that is a real test
Forget the long-term worry for a second and look at tonight. If Haliburton sits against Philadelphia and Nembhard is questionable with a neck issue, the Pacers are down to Quenton Jackson and Kelly Oubre types running the offense. That is where you find out whether the supporting cast learned anything from last season 19-63 run. Nembhard as a full-time lead guard for a stretch is a different job than spot starter. If he holds the offense together for two weeks, the Pacers survive this. If not, the hole gets deep fast.
- Sit him until the hamstring is fully right, no shortcuts
The math here is brutal and simple. He missed a full season with a right Achilles tear, and now the left hamstring goes in game four. That is the classic compensation pattern: the healthy leg takes extra load while the other one rebuilds. He averaged 21.8 and 9.5 in four games, which proves he does not need to prove anything right now. A hamstring rushed back in November becomes a hamstring that lingers until February. The Pacers went 19-63 without him last year, so losing him again hurts, but losing him for the season hurts more. Rest is the only move that protects the asset.