Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton will get MRI on left hamstring after leaving game

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton was carried off the floor Monday night against the Celtics when he slipped while driving the lane. He didn't return and will undergo an MRI on his left hamstring on Tuesday.

The Pacers defeated the Celtics 133-131 as Bennedict Mathurin hit two free throws with less than 1 second to go.

Coach Rick Carlisle said postgame that he believes the Pacers are in a better position than last season to withstand a potential lengthy absence by Haliburton, who missed 10 games last January. The Pacers went 1-9 in those games.

"We've had another year of experience. We've added depth," Carlisle said. "You saw it out there in the second half. We've been a together group. We've got to stay together. We've had a strong collective determination with each game."

The Pacers host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday before heading out for a season-long six-game trip.

With the Pacers down 60-54 with 3:10 to go, Haliburton drove the left side of the lane and his right leg slipped forward while his left leg stayed back. He essentially did a split. He managed to stand up, but then seemed hobbled. Pacers veteran James Johnson and teammate Buddy Hield stepped in to carry him off the floor and other teammates draped a towel around his head to hide his reaction.

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Haliburton entered Monday's game leading the Pacers with 24.2 points per game and leading the NBA with 12.7 assists per game. In the NBA's first release of the fan vote for the All-Star Game to be held in Indianapolis in February, Haliburton was leading all Eastern Conference guards. Haliburton had seven points on 3 of 5 shooting and six assists before the injury.

Aaron Nesmith said the Pacers would be better prepared for a long Haliburton absence.

"I think we have a better mentality moving forward than we had last year. We have a really good next-man-up mentality because we're so deep," he said. "I think we'll be all right."

"We lost the best player on the team, so it's my job to step up," Bennedict Mathurin said postgame after scoring 26 points.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs. Celtics: Tyrese Haliburton leaves game with injury