Pacers Star Haliburton Overcomes Injury Returns to Court

Clear Facts

• Tyrese Haliburton returned to NBA action after nearly 500 days sidelined by an Achilles injury
• The two-time All-Star scored 23 points in Indiana’s 123-120 season-opening win over the New Orleans Pelicans
• Haliburton was visibly emotional during his postgame interview and expressed gratitude for being back on the court

Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton returned to regular-season play after nearly 500 days away from the court. The two-time All-Star delivered 23 points in Indiana’s season-opening 123-120 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Haliburton had been sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon sustained during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the championship that year.

The conversation turned emotional during Haliburton’s on-court postgame interview as he reflected on his long road back to the hardwood.

“It means a lot to be back out here,” Haliburton said as he fought back tears.

Haliburton spoke directly about the team’s performance and his teammates. He acknowledged areas for improvement while expressing pride in the group’s resilience.

“We’ve got a lot to pick up, the second quarter wasn’t good. But, we’re battle-tested so we finished this game the right way. Just really proud of this group.”

“… I’m just really thankful to be back out here.”

Haliburton made key contributions in the final minutes, scoring 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. His play helped secure the victory after the Pacers had trailed by as many as 10 points.

Without their star guard last season, the Pacers struggled and finished with just 19 wins. That was a significant drop from the previous year when they came within one victory of an NBA championship.

With Haliburton back in the lineup, Indiana expects to compete in a strong Eastern Conference. The Pacers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday for their home opener.

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