Tyrese Haliburton didn’t have to wear a mask during Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, but he thought it was a good idea.
He took an elbow to the nose in Monday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, and his nose was still bothering him. It was tender, and he figured if he took another hit, it would hurt a lot. So, he decided to wear a mask for protection.
Haliburton said, “After the game, my nose was really sensitive, and I knew Portland is a tough, physical team. If I got hit again, I figured it would hurt bad. So, we talked about it, and it seemed like a smart choice to wear a mask. It wasn’t required, just something I thought would help.”
But once he was on the court, it was clear he wasn’t liking the mask much. In the second quarter, after struggling with it and making just 2 of his first 5 shots, he threw the mask aside on the sidelines. After that, he started to get into a rhythm, hitting 6 out of his next 10 shots. By the end of the game, he had scored 28 points, with 10 assists, helping the Pacers win 121-114 for their third straight victory.
He said, “It just wasn’t sitting right. It was bothering me. But I pushed through it.”
Pacers announcer Eddie Gill shared that he also had to wear a mask once in his career and said the toughest part was not being able to see down low. Haliburton joked that some of his teammates and fans were betting on how long he’d keep the mask on — and they didn’t think it would be long.
Myles Turner, his teammate, wasn’t surprised when Haliburton tossed the mask. “I didn’t see when he took it off, but I didn’t doubt it would happen,” Turner said. “If something’s blocking your vision, it’s tough to play.”
Haliburton ended up shooting 8 for 15 from the field, 5 for 10 from 3-point range, and grabbed 7 rebounds. He’s been in a bit of a slump lately, but over the last 3 games, he’s averaged 27.7 points and 10.7 assists, shooting nearly 50% from the field and beyond the arc.
As for the mask? “It’s not coming back,” Haliburton said with a smile. “I’m hoping in a few days it won’t hurt so much. I don’t want to see that thing again!”