Haliburton’s dream return: a win and tears of joy

Tyrese Haliburton’s return from a serious injury ended with a win and tears of joy. In his first official game since tearing his right Achilles tendon, the Indiana Pacers’ leader spearheaded a comeback on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans for a 123-120 victory.

The former Kings guard finished with 23 points and 12 assists in 33 minutes, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter. Then, looking into the stands, he was overcome with emotion.

The best part was the end, that moment. It’s been an emotional roller coaster. What made me feel that way was seeing all those Pacers fans here in New Orleans. That was special

Tyrese Haliburton

The Pacers’ point guard hadn’t played an official game since June 22, 2025, when he suffered the injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City. Without him, Indiana finished the following season 19-63. Alongside him, Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 30 points. Coach Rick Carlisle praised his leader’s return.

Tyrese played extremely well. It was the first time he’d played over 30 minutes in sixteen and a half months

Rick Carlisle

Sixteen and a half months off the court, followed by 23 points, 12 assists and a win. We still don’t know how long it will take to see Haliburton at his best again, but as starts go, it certainly could have been worse.