NBA1 hour ago2 minute read

Tyrese Haliburton Scores Seven Points in Return to the Court

Tyrese Haliburton returned to action for the Indiana Pacers, scoring seven points in 16 minutes after missing more than 16 months with an injury.

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Haliburton Back on Court

Tyrese Haliburton is finally back on the basketball court. The Indiana Pacers star played his first game in more than 16 months on Wednesday night. He helped his team to a 123-112 preseason win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Haliburton had been out of action for more than 400 days. His last game was Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, where he suffered a torn Achilles.

In his return, Haliburton played 16 minutes, all in the first half. He scored seven points on 3 of 8 shooting. He also added six assists, one steal and two blocks.

Adjusting to Game Speed

After the game, Haliburton admitted he felt like he was playing too fast. He compared himself to a rookie but noted that he could still read the floor well.

"There was just a lot of adrenaline. I was hyped to be out there, excited, but I just got to slow down a little bit," Haliburton said. He added that getting game reps against other players is the only way to get back to his usual pace.

The game was played at Iowa State, where Haliburton played college basketball from 2018 to 2020. He struggled to sleep the night before because he was excited to play in front of his former college fans. He even bought out the student sections to make sure students could attend on a first come, first serve basis.

Warm Welcome in Iowa

The crowd at Hilton Coliseum was loud. Haliburton called it the loudest preseason game he had ever played in.

During the fourth quarter, fans chanted for Haliburton to get back on the court. He laughed and pointed to his feet, as he was already wearing socks and sandals. Fans then chanted for him to put his shoes on. Haliburton declined, saying the team has a process to follow.

What it means for the next game

Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers (NBA, Sat, 10 Oct): Indiana Pacers win 33%, Atlanta Hawks win 67%; projected score Indiana Pacers 116, Atlanta Hawks 121. Our safest pick: Pacers +13.5.

Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA, Wed, 14 Oct): Oklahoma City Thunder win 88%, Indiana Pacers win 12%; projected score Oklahoma City Thunder 124, Indiana Pacers 108. Our safest pick: Thunder -7.5.