Tyrese Haliburton wasted no time showing he was back.
In his first game back from an Achilles injury, Haliburton powered the Indiana Pacers to a 123-120 comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at Smoothie King Center, turning a tight season opener into an Indiana rally with a huge fourth quarter. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting and 12 assists, then did the heaviest lifting when the game was hanging in the balance, scoring eight of Indiana’s 10 points during a 90-second burst late in the final period.
The finish also brought a flash of tension. Haliburton and Derik Queen got into a heated verbal exchange while heading to their benches in the fourth quarter, and the two had to be separated before it went any further. Haliburton was hit with a technical foul on the sequence.
Tyrese Haliburton was given a technical foul for this altercation involving Derik Queen 👀 pic.twitter.com/WdgE8mypO2
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 22, 2026
Queen made his presence felt in other ways, too. Off the bench, the 21-year-old put up 10 points, 10 rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes, a productive line that fit the promise he showed in his rookie year. He may have a sense of humor and a fun-loving personality, but Wednesday made it clear he won’t shy away from anyone once the game gets physical.
Indiana’s late push came with plenty of help around Haliburton. Pascal Siakam added 30 points and eight rebounds, while Ivica Zubac chipped in 16 points, 25 rebounds and two blocks.
New Orleans had its own stars in the box score. Dejounte Murray led the Pelicans with 23 points, three rebounds, seven assists, two steals and three blocks, and Zion Williamson finished with 22 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The Pacers outscored the Pelicans 37-28 in the fourth quarter to flip the game, and both teams are back in action Friday. Indiana meets the Milwaukee Bucks, while New Orleans faces the Utah Jazz.
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Tyrese Haliburton Added A Surprise Twist To His Pacers Comeback
Tyrese Haliburtons return gave the Pacers exactly the kind of lift they needed, with the star guard looking sharp in his first game back after recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered in June 2025. He wasted little time settling in, putting up 23 points and 12 assists in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans, a strong reminder of how much Indianas offense can open up when hes running it.
But Haliburton added a little extra theater to the night before the ball was even tipped. His pregame outfit paid tribute to WWE star Triple H, and the gesture drew a response from Triple H on social media, giving the comeback a pop-culture wrinkle to go with the on-court production. For a Pacers team trying to reestablish its rhythm with Haliburton back in the mix, it was a fittingly memorable first step. [Read more 🡒]