OKLAHOMA CITY — In Tyrese Haliburton’s locker, a framed piece of wisdom from writer Carl Bard sits at about eye level. It’s impossible to miss but as plain as could be, with black text on white paper within a white frame. Haliburton sees it multiple times a day when the Indiana Pacers play at home.

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end,” the saying reads. And after losing in the NBA Finals, that expression is now more appropriate than ever to the Pacers.

When it comes to star athletes, Haliburton is as grounded as they come. He’s present in each moment and conversation brought his way. He carries the right energy to every situation he must face. His day-to-day demeanor is endearing to everyone — his teammates, coaches, fans, and even most opponents. And during his solo moments at his locker before and after home games, Haliburton is reminded of beginnings and endings. It’s forceful reflection.

In 2022, Haliburton was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Pacers. It was a stunning move, and it changed everything for a franchise in Indiana that desperately needed a shakeup. They needed a new start.

Haliburton, however, did not. He was crushed to be traded from the Kings. Yet as he does, he quickly adjusted to his new reality with a contagious smile and unmatched presence. Instantly, the internal feeling within the Pacers shifted. Optimism crept in. A necessary rebuild started, though it didn’t feel as daunting with Haliburton around.

In his first game with his new team, the Pacers set a then-franchise record for points in a first quarter. Haliburton rocked the house in that frame, scoring 12 points and dishing out an assist. He buried two outside shots. It was a sign of what was coming.

“The potential is obvious and very encouraging,” Carlisle said after the outing. “The first quarter was spectacular. The energy, the pace, the ball movement, the shot making. It’s a high bar… you can see the possibilities.”

The Pacers ascended rapidly with Haliburton as their central figure. Their high-paced style formed first, then an elite offense came right after. In the second full season with Haliburton in Indiana, they made the Eastern Conference Finals. He was so good that less than two years after being acquired, the Pacers were ready for another star and traded for Pascal Siakam. Off they went as a duo, leading a voyage that led the Pacers to a winner-takes-all title fight.

What happened to the Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals?

Sunday, led by that pairing, Indiana played in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. It was unreached territory for the blue and gold, who fell in six games during their previous, and only, NBA Finals trip. Win or lose, a brand new ending was coming for the Pacers.

Haliburton, by virtue of his framed quote, thinks about new endings often. His new start with the Pacers was special. It was one epic quarter, followed by two fun, growth-filled seasons. The 2024-25 campaign was nothing short of magical, with the Pacers winning 50 games for the first time in 11 years. They raced through the Eastern Conference postseason field and were on the doorstep of immortality.

Win or lose, the result of Game 7 was going to be a conclusion Indiana hadn’t seen before. They knew it going into the game. Players admitted that their mind wandered leading up to the action as they thought about what could be on Sunday. Sleeping on Saturday night wasn’t a trivial task. Nerves, excitement, anticipation, and anxiety all combined in a way that few get to feel in the NBA.

Just after 7 p.m. local time, the game tipped off. Haliburton, battling a calf injury, was rolling. He hit a three 3.5 minutes into the action. One possession later, another. Before long, a third. He was nearly matching the Thunder on the scoreboard by himself when OKC took a timeout with 7:01 left in the first quarter.

Then, tragedy. Haliburton received a pass from teammate Obi Toppin on the left wing and tried to drive toward the rim. He couldn’t. His right Achilles ruptured and he fell to the floor, launching the ball away with about five minutes remaining in the first period. His pain was immediately obvious as he smacked the court over and over, tears in his eyes. T.J. McConnell, who was waiting at the scorer’s table to check in, was the first Pacers player to reach Haliburton. Soon, the entire roster, as well as a few staffers and coaches, surrounded him on the floor.

His night was over, and the injury was confirmed midday on Monday. It was a crushing blow for the Pacers, who not only had to play without their star but had to carry a heavy emotional toll for the rest of the game. Tony Bradley admitted it took a bit out of him. Toppin blamed himself for the injury due to his involvement in the play.

“I felt like that was my fault, too. Passed the ball to him, and as soon as he went down, that sh— hurt. I ain’t gonna lie. I was thinking about that the whole game,” the bench forward said. Earlier, Toppin admitted he played poorly and took ownership for the loss. “It didn’t go the way we wanted it. I played terrible today,” he began. “Sh— felt like it was my fault.”

The Pacers lost their identity without Haliburton. They also lost their focus, and who could blame them? They all spent a lifetime preparing for this game and spent days thinking about the feelings coming their way. Now, their mentality was shaken, if not broken.

To Indiana’s credit, they battled and took a lead into halftime. But a dominant third quarter from the Thunder was the difference in the 103-91 game. Oklahoma City became champions. The Pacers faced a brand new ending, but one that felt familiar — a loss on the biggest stage. So close, yet not enough.

It hurt more than everyone expected. The Pacers had one game in front of them to win a championship. They knew defeat would be draining. Even then, players freely admitted it was more painful than they foresaw.

“I wanted this one bad for our guys,” Pacers forward James Johnson said of his emotions and his teammates. “We work hard every day to compete every day. They play the game the right way.”

On the court after the game, the Thunder celebrated. Just feet away in the halls of Paycom Center, the Pacers either wept or did everything they could to avoid tears. Wing Aaron Nesmith had just finished crying. Assistant coach Jenny Boucek carried the same look as she hugged her daughter just outside the locker room. A group of team staffers embraced and wiped incoming tears off each other’s faces. The scene was devastating. This brand new ending felt horrible.

As players made their way back to their personal spaces after the game, they were greeted by Haliburton, standing on crutches. They all embraced him individually. “He could have been in the locker room feeling sorry for himself after something like that happened, but he wasn’t. He was up greeting us,” McConnell shared. “A lot of us were hurting from the loss and he was up there consoling us. That’s who Tyrese Haliburton is.”

Inside the locker room, players sat motionless. Thomas Bryant, Johnny Furphy, and Andrew Nembhard were planted in the chairs at their locker and stared off into space. Reality had set in.

Toppin said he felt “Sh—y,” and couldn’t compare the emotion to any that he had felt in his life before. Coming from him, that was particularly revealing. He’s among the most fun-loving players on the Pacers roster, steady as can be with his attitude. Throughout the playoffs, that frequently led to impactful performances. But his gripping smile wasn’t there after Game 7. Nobody had one. Without their star, the Pacers came up short.

And now, the Pacers and Haliburton face the other part of that Bard quote. They have to start from now again. An Achilles tear will rob Haliburton of a significant portion, perhaps all, of his 2025-26 season. Indiana won’t be the same. They have to reset for the coming campaign, then again one year later. The roster will change. Players will be gone, others will be older. Fresh faces will arrive.

But this specific group saw the end in Game 7. So close to glory, they fell short. And it hurt even more after how magical their season was. In early December, they were 10-15, unable to beat some of the worst teams in the NBA. But they banded together, worked hard in practice, got healthy, and were among the league’s best rosters for the final five months of the season.

In the postseason, they made history over and over. Haliburton hit one miraculous shot after another as the Pacers blasted the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he did it again. The Pacers felt on top of the World. Fate was on their side. Their style was working, and their star kept making heroic plays.

Yet in the ultimate game, that star went down with a franchise-altering injury. The magic was gone. It was as painful as possible, made more difficult by just how wonderful the last two months were for the team. Some of the best moments in the lives of many Pacers players happened in that span. At the end, agony was waiting.

The group will push on. Resilience was their superpower all postseason long, and it is needed now more than ever. Bouncing back from their low emotional state will be among the greatest challenges any of Indiana’s players have faced.

But they’ll keep going. Haliburton will return one day. And in the meantime, everyone involved will slowly start to realize just how incredible their 2025 playoff run was. It was nearly one of the great sports stories of all time. The ending was cruel, but the journey was incredible and unforgettable. They’ll bond over it forever.

So the Pacers are runner ups. They haven’t felt like this before. Haliburton and company can’t make a new start. But they can start from now and make a brand new ending once again.