Tyrese Haliburton Returns, Leads Pacers Past Pelicans

Tyrese Haliburton is back, and he was crying happy tears by the end of it. In his first regular-season game since tearing his right Achilles 16 months ago, Haliburton scored 23 points with 12 assists, including 16 points in the fourth quarter, as the Indiana Pacers held off the New Orleans Pelicans 123-120 on Wednesday night, as reported by ESPN and the AP.

It was his first game since he went down in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against Oklahoma City on June 22, 2025. Without him, the Pacers went from Eastern Conference champions to 19-63 last season.

The fourth quarter belonged to Hali

Haliburton had only seven points at halftime on 3-of-8 shooting and did not score in the third quarter. Then he took over. Indiana trailed 92-86 entering the fourth, and Haliburton scored eight of the Pacers' 10 points in a 90-second span to erase a 101-93 New Orleans lead. With 9:31 left he drew a foul on a dunk and just lay under the basket for a second while his bench went nuts.

After Zion Williamson tied it at 116, Haliburton scored on back-to-back power moves, including a three-point play for a 121-118 lead with 1:23 to go, and the Pelicans missed three late 3-pointers. Pacers fans in the Smoothie King Center got to watch their guy close a game again.

"The best part was the end and that moment," Haliburton told Andscape. "It's been an emotional roller coaster. I'm telling you, what made me feel that way was seeing all those Pacers fans here in New Orleans. That was special."

Siakam carried the load early

Pascal Siakam scored 30, with 12 in the final quarter, and Obi Toppin added 20. Andrew Nembhard had 18 points and nine assists, and Ivica Zubac added 16 points. For New Orleans, Dejounte Murray scored 23 and Williamson had 22, including a 3 at the first-half buzzer. Murray, who tore his own right Achilles in January 2025, is the guy Haliburton called his biggest NBA mentor through the recovery.

Haliburton admitted he was gassed and still needs to build his conditioning. He also picked up a technical after review for jawing at Derik Queen. "I didn't say anything. I want my money back for that technical," he said with a smile. Coach Rick Carlisle noted it was the first time Haliburton had played more than 30 minutes in 16 and a half months.

Home opener next

The Pacers host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in their home opener, the night he originally thought would be the emotional one. "It's Game 1," he said. "I will be thankful for that and prepare for Friday."

Smacktok pick: lean higher on Haliburton's assists against Dallas on Friday. He dished 12 in his return, and Carlisle already had him over 30 minutes in game one.