Harry responds to a torn Achilles tendon: Sometimes it s just bad luck, it s unbelievable that Kobe can still go to free throws

On July 23, Pacers star Halliburton talked about his recovery from Achilles tendon injury on the Pat McAfee Show. Speaking of the number of injuries surged in the league last season, he said that apart from bad luck, he didn't think there was a definite answer.

Halliburton is currently recovering from his Achilles tendon laceration injury, and he was injured early in Game 7 against the Thunder in the NBA Finals. He is the third player to suffer a torn Achilles tendon in the playoffs last season, and a record-breaking injury occurred in total throughout the season.

"I think when a player is injured or when this happens frequently, everyone feels like they know the reason," Halliburton said, his first public interview after his injury. "Everyone thinks we play too many games and play too long - these statements may make sense, but I don't think that's the cause of these injuries." NBA president Adam Xiao Hua also said he doesn't think games or playtime are the main triggers, and he told ESPN earlier this summer that most Achilles tendon injuries occurred in the first half of the season.

"So I don't think anyone can give an answer," Halliburton said. "I think injuries sometimes are bad luck, and that's the case. I think this is inevitable in sports games." When Halliburton's right Achilles tendon tear occurred, he was playing with a calf strain - he was officially diagnosed with a calf strain after the fifth game, but as early as after the second game, someone was seen protecting that leg. Before Game 6, Halliburton passed the calf stress test and was able to play, saying he felt very good when he entered Game 7.

"After Game 6, I thought to myself, 'It's all over, adrenaline will support me, I will be fine,'" Halliburton said. "In the seventh game, I felt very good before the game. I think this is why I was in great shape at the beginning of the game. But obviously, there was an accident in the end."

Speaking of my actions of lying on the ground crying after an Achilles tendon injury, Halliburton said: "At that moment, I thought of that game. Because there must be reason to worry that something will happen, you always hear people who have been injured say it feels like someone kicking your leg from the back. That's not the most painful thing, but it feels like someone kicking the back of your calf. So when I fell to the ground, I immediately knew what was going on. I was just sad that I couldn't continue playing. I was so sad that I couldn't continue playing. The game was over, and all the emotions surged up in an instant. But I was not thinking about what would happen next year and what the consequences of this injury. I was thinking about the things that happened at the time of the tiebreak, and it must have felt bad when the scene happened. "

" At that time, I wanted my teammates to go away and wanted to get off the field by myself, because Kobe did the same when he ruptured the Achilles tendon. But after I tried it, I found that I couldn't play any force at all and couldn't hold on. Kobe actually went to the free throw, which was incredible. "

The surgery has been a month since, Halliburton is still relying on scooters, and the Pacers have confirmed that he will miss the next season. He said he had talked with Kevin Durant (a laceration of Achilles tendon during the 2019 Finals) and Jason Tatum (a few weeks before Halliburton). Durant even visited Halliburton specifically at home.

Halliburton said: "I just started walking with a cane yesterday to bear 50% of my body's weight. I will be able to walk in protective boots in about 7-8 weeks without relying on a scooter. I can't wait to see that moment, when many small things will become natural."

The Pacers point guard said that his goal is to make the most of the time from now until the expected return in the 2026-27 season.

"I want to use this time to further improve my understanding of the game. I stay with Coach Rick Carlisle and attend the coaching meeting. I communicate with Kevin Pritchard, the Pacers' basketball operations president, and provide some help. I feel that my understanding of basketball is pretty good. So I will do my best to help my teammates. When I can walk, I will sit on the bench as soon as possible (help the team)."