Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton is trying to regain pre-injury form: ‘This s— just

INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton’s body language said more than his voice ever could. The Indiana Pacers star guard had just been pickpocketed by Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, who turned his easy steal into an uncontested fast-break dunk in the third quarter of Friday’s game.

As Barnes dribbled down the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, it was as if Haliburton was stuck in quicksand on the other end, unable to break loose and play freely.

When Barnes flushed the ball through the rim, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle immediately called timeout. Haliburton bent over and hung his head in disgust before eventually walking back to the bench — a place that has recently offered him a lot more stress rather than relief.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating. I’m a guy who wants to play at all times,” Haliburton said after Indiana’s 133-122 loss to his former team. “This s— just sucks. … But I can’t go back in time and change what happened.”

Haliburton initially injured his left hamstring in a home loss against Boston on Jan. 8. Following a five-game hiatus, he returned at Portland on Jan. 19 and posted 21 points and 17 assists in another loss. Aside from the defeat, Haliburton suffered what he would later call a “setback” to his left hamstring. He missed another five games before returning, but this time there were a lot more hurdles to clear.

Some are still in his way.

Haliburton was restricted to 22 minutes in back-to-back losses at Boston and New York on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, and didn’t play the fourth quarter in either narrow defeat.

In conjunction with the medical and coaching staffs, Haliburton, who is still on a minutes restriction, elected to sit out the first quarter instead of the fourth quarter Friday against the Kings. He came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season and entered the game in the second quarter after riding a stationary bike in the tunnel to stay warm.

The change in approach didn’t result in a better outcome as the Pacers dropped their third straight game. Indiana trailed by as many as 18 points, while Haliburton turned in arguably his worst game of the season with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, three rebounds, a season-low one assist and five turnovers.

Asked if his left hamstring was pain-free after a back-to-back and the Pacers’ third game in four days, Haliburton took a long pause before providing a peak behind the curtain.

“I would say that it is what it is, honestly,” Haliburton said, choosing his words very carefully. “I think anybody who’s dealt with a hamstring before understands that it’s not just nothing. Even when you’re fully good a little bit after, you still feel it a little bit. Nothing structurally (is wrong). I think there is some pain, but I can play through that. That’s not a problem. My medical staff is amazing.”

Carlisle has been by Haliburton’s side throughout this trying time in his promising career. Before his…