Tyrese Haliburton returned to NBA action for the first time in over 16 months, scoring seven points in Indiana's 123-112 preseason victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Playing just 16 minutes at Iowa State, Haliburton shot 3-of-8 from the field with six assists, one steal, and two blocks. The Pacers star admitted feeling like he was playing too fast early on but felt he could read the floor at his usual speed.
Haliburton, who missed the entire previous season after tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, expressed excitement at being back on the floor. He bought out the student section to recreate a college atmosphere at Hilton Coliseum, prompting fans to line up hours before tipoff. Despite the crowd's chant of "We want Hali" in the fourth quarter, Haliburton pointed to his sandals and socks, signaling he was done for the night and declining to re-enter the game.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing