Pacers’ Haliburton out for Game 3, sources say

Indiana Pacers All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton is out for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night because of a hamstring strain and his availability for Game 4 on Monday is in serious question, sources told ESPN.

The Pacers and Haliburton will reassess the strain ahead of Game 4 before making a final decision on his ability to play, sources said. The Pacers intend to err on the side of caution with their franchise star’s injury.

Boston leads the best-of-seven series 2-0 and the loss of Haliburton looms large for the Pacers’ chances of getting back into this series.

Haliburton — who missed 10 games in January with the same injury — aggravated the hamstring in Thursday’s Game 2 loss to the Celtics in Boston.

Haliburton averaged 20.1 points and a league-leading 10.9 assists in a regular-season that earned him third-team All-NBA honors. The Pacers are plus-59 with Haliburton on the floor this season and minus-35 without him, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.