Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton is optimistic he can return Tuesday vs. Celtics

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tyrese Haliburton said Monday he is optimistic he'll be able to play Tuesday night against the Celtics in Boston in a game that will be televised nationally on TNT.

“The plan is to play (Tuesday) for me,” Haliburton said at practice Monday. "I'll see how I feel in the morning when I wake up. That will kind of dictate that answer. But I feel good, ready to go. I think that the medical staff has done a good job preparing me to get back. Hopefully I'm ready to go tomorrow.

The Indiana Pacers All-Star has missed 10 of the last 11 games with a strained left hamstring suffered Jan. 8 against the Celtics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He played against the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 19, but hasn't played since. He appeared to be in pain at points during the game and also seemed hobbled afterward.

"I think that throughout the game there was some soreness or whatever," Haliburton said. "To my knowledge I couldn't make it worse by playing so I just kept playing or whatever. My body just didn't react the way I wanted it to. I was hurting pretty bad after the game, so I had to get back to square one of attacking it again and figuring out what we could do better. Just maintaining that plan moving forward."

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton was a full participant in Monday's practice and actually did more than most players who were practicing. The Pacers just finished a four-game homestand over the last six days and have won three straight heading into Tuesday's game against the Celtics.

"He scrimmaged with a group of guys before practice," Carlisle said. "Today was more of a walk-through type practice for the guys who have been playing. We did about a 20-minute scrimmage with some of the low-minute guys and some of the interns. He did well. If all goes well and he feels good (Tuesday), then (Tuesday) is in the picture."

The Pacers have gone 6-4 in the games he has missed including wins over Philadelphia, Phoenix and Memphis in their last three. Carlisle has been experimenting with new lineups in his absence and with newly acquired All-Star Pascal Siakam integrating himself on to the team, but for as much success as they've had in that scenario, Carlisle knows exactly what he's missing in Haliburton, who is averaging 23.6 points and an NBA-leading 12.6 assists per game this season.

"Most of all I learned how good he is," Carlisle said. "These other guys have done a great job. They've gotten better. They've learned. They've worked through different things. Everything from being injured to being thrust into higher levels of responsibility. They've always done extremely well. ... Tyrese is one of those players that when he's on the floor, things are going to work better, just by nature. That's another important reason to have him back."

Getting back for the Boston game means something a little extra to Haliburton because it was initially the only regularly-scheduled game on the Pacers' slate that was supposed to be nationally broadcast on either TNT or ESPN. They ended up having three more on national TV thanks to their run to their In-Season Tournament run as they played the quarterfinals against the Celtics on TNT and the semifinals and finals on ESPN. Still, this one is set to be the last one they play on national TV unless and until they reach the playoffs, and it comes against a Boston team with the best record in the NBA at 35-11. The Pacers are 27-20 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

"I think there's still juice to it,” Haliburton said. "I'm excited to be on TV, any time you're on national TV. I'm sure Boston doesn't care. They're on TNT every night. But I think that's the fun part about it is more eyes on our team. Like Roy Hibbert said, people don't watch us play, so I think it will be cool for us to get on a national scale and play on a big stage. That just comes with winning. I'm sure going into next year we're going to have a ton more games on national TV just because of the product we put on the floor."

Also every game has a little extra juice for Haliburton because missing a few more games could cost him a lot of money.

In the latest collective bargaining agreement, the NBA instituted a rule that would require players to appear in at least 65 of their team's 82 games to be eligible for league awards, including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA honors. That's a financial issue for players, because those awards are what allows teams to offer players more money in contract extensions. A max contract allows a team to pay a player 25% of a team's total salary cap figure. Players coming off their rookie scale contracts to make up to 30% of the salary cap if they are voted All-NBA, MVP or the Defensive Player of the Year. Players who have been in the league 7-9 years and have been All-NBA, MVP or Defensive Player of the Year are eligible to be paid up to 35% of the cap.

In July, Haliburton signed a five-year max contract extension that won't kick in until next season. It's worth at least $205.9 million, but if he makes one of the three All-NBA teams this season, which would seem like a good possibility considering the season he's having, that figure would go up to $260 million. If he doesn't make it this year, he can't turn the contract into a supermax deal until his next contract, even if he makes All-NBA in all five seasons of his deal.

Haliburton has already missed 13 games this season. He can only miss four more and still be eligible.

"I'm human like you guys," Haliburton said. "I use the internet as well. I completely understand it and I understand what's at stake for me financially as well. But at the end of the day, it's also that I have to take care of my body to the best of my ability and put myself in the right situation. Yeah, I know I don't have a ton of games left. I think it's a stupid rule like many guys in the league. But this is what the owners want, so as players, we have to do our job and play in 65 games if we're able to. That's what I gotta do, take care of my body to be able to play in those games. You're seeing other players in the league face the same thing. As long as the owners are happy."

Though it doesn't come with the same financial incentives, Haliburton also was named one of the Eastern Conference's starting guards for the All-Star Game in Indianapolis on Feb. 18 during his injury. He's one of just four Pacers players in history -- joining Paul George, Jermaine O'Neal and Reggie Miller -- to be named a starter.

"It's a really cool moment for me, especially with it being in Indy and being able to represent not only this organization but the people who support the Pacers as well," Haliburton said. "I'm really excited about that. It just shows I'm taking another step in the right direction for my career."

Also while he's been out, Haliburton was named to the 41-team player pool from which the U.S. Men's Senior National team will be selected for the Paris Olympics in July. Haliburton played for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup last summer, but the competition to make the team is much stronger for the Olympics. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are among the players also on the list.

"It means a lot to me to represent our country and play in those games," Haliburton said. "That's kinda the first step to be in that pool. I don't know when the final team gets announced, but I'm hoping that I can be on that team and continue to represent my country."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton optimistic he can return vs. Celtics