Tyrese Haliburton leaving press conferenceTyrese Haliburton (Photo via Scott Agness/X)
There’s some worry over Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton following Sunday night’s Game 2 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder responded to Thursday night’s shocking upset with a dominant performance in the second game of the NBA Finals series, protecting their lead this time around after relinquishing a 15-point advantage to lose by one point in Game 1.

Haliburton was seen limping after the loss, sparking concern over a possible availability problem. Fortunately, the Pacers have not announced an injury.

A video of him moving gingerly after his postgame interview surfaced online, drawing lots of attention. You can check it out right below:

“That doesn’t look good,” a fan observed.

 

“Pretty much how every player ends up after being guarded by Lu Dort🤦‍♂️,” someone else suggested.

“That’s a little more than slight,” a user claimed.

“Thankfully there are 2 days before Game 3 and he’s heading home where they have everything ready to get his body right,” said a fourth.

The Pacers Will Need Everything From Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin's strange behaviors unfold as the Pacers' plane makes an emergency landing during a tornado warningTyrese Haliburton (Photo by Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)

Tyrese Haliburton has been key for the Pacers on their playoff run, but they will need him to do more in the upcoming games.

The guard struggled during the first half of Sunday’s outing but eventually grew into the contest, finishing with 17 points in the 123-107 loss. While his postgame limp has triggered some worry, he is expected to play in Game 3.

Of course, the Pacers will be monitoring him closely ahead of the crucial matchup.

Game 3 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday night, with Indiana to play the next two games at their Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
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Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence
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The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’