Even after enduring a significant injury, Tyrese Haliburton waited for his Pacers teammates to join them in a moment of support, as the disheartened team exited the court following their Game 7 defeat against the Thunder in the NBA Finals.
Haliburton managed to participate in just seven minutes of the match before an Achilles injury took him out, but he still made sure to be present for his team, offering high-fives as they headed into the locker room, all while standing with the aid of crutches on Sunday night.
Former Pacers great Reggie Miller shared an emotional moment with T.J. McConnell after the game as well, trying to comfort the heartbroken player.
McConnell looked to be near tears as he entered the back of the arena and Miller embraced him in a hug to console McConnell after the 103-91 loss.
Miller also stopped Bennedict Mathurin as he was walking by to hug him.
McConnell was also captured by ESPN cameras being consoled by his mother as he was entering the tunnel toward the locker rooms.
The Pacers came up just short of the franchise’s first NBA title, but finished their 2024-25 season with a number of accomplishments under its belt.
This year’s team became the first 50-win Pacers’ squad since 2014 and it was the organization’s first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000.
“Obviously, there are no moral victories here. We’re disappointed, yet proud of all we’ve achieved. There’s no prize for being runners-up, so naturally, everyone is upset. However, credit goes to OKC — they were the superior team today,” McConnell shared with reporters post-game.
While the heartbreak was palpable for the Pacers, it didn’t stop head coach Rick Carlisle from going over to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to congratulate him.
Video captured showed the moment that Gilgeous-Alexander was walking through the back of the arena with the Larry O’Brien Trophy when Carlisle stopped him to dap him up and congratulate the Thunder star on his championship.
The championship is the first for the Thunder since they relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008.
