Tyrese Haliburton Injury: Pacers Star Out With Hamstring Strain
Tyrese Haliburton has a strained left hamstring and will miss time, four games into his return from a torn Achilles. What we know about the injury and the Pacers.
The short answer
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has a strained left hamstring and will miss time, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. No timeline has been set. The injury comes just four games into his return from a torn Achilles that kept him out for 16 months. He was averaging 21.8 points and 9.5 assists, and CBS Sports reported he will miss Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Key takeaways
- Injury: a strained left hamstring, reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Oct. 28, 2026.
- Timeline: unknown. Team doctors and Haliburton were still working out a recovery plan, ESPN reported.
- Context: he had just returned after missing 16 months with a torn Achilles from Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
- Form before the injury: 21.8 points, 9.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game over Indiana's first four games.
- Next up: CBS Sports said he will miss Wednesday's game against the 76ers, with the Heat, Nets and Hawks next on the schedule.
In this article
Tyrese Haliburton's comeback has hit its first snag. The Indiana Pacers star has a strained left hamstring and will miss time, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, ESPN reported. It is a frustrating turn for a player who had just returned from a torn Achilles that sidelined him for 16 months, and who had looked like his old self over Indiana's first four games.
What we know about Haliburton's hamstring injury
The diagnosis
Haliburton has a strained left hamstring, according to ESPN. How long he will be out is not yet clear. Pacers team doctors and Haliburton were still gathering a clear timeline for his recovery when the news broke, sources told ESPN.
Coach Rick Carlisle said Wednesday on 1075 The Fan in Indianapolis that Haliburton was set to meet with a hamstring expert, team doctors and team officials later that afternoon, CBS Sports reported. "We'll hope this hamstring thing is not a big deal or not any kind of a long-term thing," Carlisle said.
How it came about
Haliburton played in all of Indiana's first four games, including a back-to-back on Sunday and Monday. He said he felt "a little beat up" after Monday's game in Milwaukee, ESPN reported, and then appeared on the injury report on Wednesday ahead of the Pacers' game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Will he play against the 76ers?
No. CBS Sports reported that the Pacers will be without Haliburton for Wednesday night's game against Philadelphia. The schedule over the following week includes games against the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks, CBS added. Whether he misses all of those depends on the timeline the team has not yet announced.
Why the timing hurts
A long road back from the Achilles
Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals and sat out the entire 2025-26 season, CBS Sports noted. Without him, the Pacers won just 19 games, the fewest in a season in franchise history, according to ESPN.
His return this fall was emotional. After hitting a game-winner in the season opener, Haliburton was overcome with emotion thinking about his journey back to the court, CBS Sports wrote.
He was playing at a high level
Through four games, Haliburton had been one of the league's most productive guards:
| Stat (first four games) | Haliburton |
|---|---|
| Points per game | 21.8 |
| Assists per game | 9.5 |
| Rebounds per game | 4.5 |
| Field goal % | 51.6% |
| 3-point % | 37.0% |
| Free throw % | 86.7% |
| Minutes per game | 33 |
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports.
The Pacers' growing injury list
Haliburton is not the only Indiana player dealing with an injury. Four of the Pacers' five starters appeared on the injury report for Wednesday's game, ESPN reported. Here is where things stood on Oct. 28, based on ESPN's reporting:
| Player | Injury | Status (Oct. 28) |
|---|---|---|
| Tyrese Haliburton | Left hamstring strain | Out; no timeline |
| Ivica Zubac | Left ankle sprain | Ruled out vs. 76ers |
| Andrew Nembhard | Neck soreness | Questionable vs. 76ers |
| T.J. McConnell | Right hamstring strain | Has not played this season |
| Ben Sheppard | Torn left meniscus | Out |
| Johnny Furphy | Right ACL surgery | Out |
With so many guards and rotation players banged up, the Pacers will have to lean on their depth while Haliburton recovers.
Part of a rough start to the NBA season for stars
Haliburton becomes the latest star sidelined early this season. ESPN pointed to Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams, Minnesota's Anthony Edwards and Toronto's Kawhi Leonard. CBS Sports added Paolo Banchero, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Alperen Şengün to the list of stars listed out for Wednesday's games. We covered the Thunder's situation in our report on Jalen Williams' leg injury and surgery.
What happens next
- A medical plan. Haliburton was scheduled to meet with a hamstring specialist, team doctors and team officials on Wednesday afternoon, per Carlisle. A clearer timeline could follow.
- Official updates. The Pacers' injury report is the best place to check his status before each game. Reports on Wednesday came from sources, not a team announcement.
- Short-term lineup changes. Indiana plays the 76ers on Wednesday, followed by the Heat, Nets and Hawks over the next week, according to CBS Sports.
Recovery time for a hamstring strain depends on how severe it is, so it is best to wait for the team's update rather than guess.
The bottom line
Four games into an inspiring comeback, Tyrese Haliburton is sidelined again, this time with a strained left hamstring. The good news is that his coach is hoping it is not a long-term problem. The open question is how long Indiana will be without its best player while several other rotation players are also hurt. For more sports, see the 2026 World Series and what went wrong in the Chiefs' 20-3 loss at Seattle.
This article reports on an athlete's injury using news reports and public comments. It is not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Tyrese Haliburton's injury?
- Haliburton has a strained left hamstring, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. He had said he felt 'a little beat up' after Monday's game in Milwaukee before appearing on the injury report.
- How long will Tyrese Haliburton be out?
- There is no timeline yet. ESPN reported that Pacers team doctors and Haliburton were still gathering a clear timeline for his recovery. Coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton was due to meet with a hamstring expert, team doctors and team officials on Wednesday afternoon, CBS Sports reported.
- Is Tyrese Haliburton playing tonight against the 76ers?
- No. CBS Sports reported that the Pacers will be without Haliburton for Wednesday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Check the Pacers' official injury report for the latest status.
- Is this related to his Achilles injury?
- Neither the team nor the reports have linked the two. The hamstring strain is a separate injury that came four games into his return from the torn Achilles he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.
- What other Pacers players are injured?
- ESPN listed Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain, ruled out Wednesday), T.J. McConnell (right hamstring strain, has not played this season), Ben Sheppard (torn left meniscus), Johnny Furphy (right ACL surgery) and Andrew Nembhard (questionable with neck soreness).
Sources
- Sources: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) to miss time · ESPN, Oct. 28, 2026
- Tyrese Haliburton injury: Pacers star to miss time due to hamstring strain · CBS Sports, Oct. 28, 2026
- Shams: Haliburton (hamstring) set to miss time · NBC Sports, Oct. 28, 2026
About the author
Editorial team
The TrendCanopy editorial team researches what Americans are searching for, checks the facts against primary sources and publishes clear, sourced explainers.
Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or contact us. Last reviewed October 28, 2026.
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