Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton puts 2026 preseason debut into perspective after ‘fun’ outing

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After being sidelined for 472 days, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton made his much-anticipated return in their preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

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It was a familiar venue for Haliburton, who starred at Iowa State for two years.

It was a successful return for the 26-year-old guard, who helped the Pacers beat the Timberwolves, 123-112. Haliburton had seven points, six assists, one steal, and two blocks in 16 minutes.

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During the game, he expressed his joy and shared his mentality.

“Really fun, really fun. I think perspective is everything. So for me, just to be back on the floor is everything. I’m really thankful to be back on the floor, really excited that all these people got to experience this. That makes it a lot of fun for everybody. I had a good time,” said the two-time All-Star.

The road to recovery was long and arduous for Haliburton, who suffered an Achilles injury in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, practically dooming the Pacers against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Last season, Indiana won only 19 games and had the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference.

Now, with Haliburton back in action, the Pacers are expected to be more competitive. Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac, Andrew Nembhard, Kelly Oubre Jr., Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin will lead the rotation.

“I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am right now. I’m a big believer in my work. I’ve put in an unbelievable amount of time to get to where I am today, so all my belief comes from that,” said Haliburton in a report from ESPN in September.

The Pacers will continue their preseason schedule on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.

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