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After a 472-day absence from NBA action, Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton stepped back onto the hardwood in preseason play on Wednesday evening. In just one half of action, Haliburton tallied 7 points on 3-of-8 shooting, handed out 6 assists against only 1 turnover, and displayed defensive promise with 2 blocks and a steal. Those numbers were particularly impressive considering he had missed nearly 16 months and logged only 16 minutes.
However, the return came with a setback: the face of the Pacers franchise sustained a mild injury. According to head coach Rick Carlisle, Haliburton will sit out Saturday night's preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks due to a mild tweak of his right ankle, which occurred during the game at Iowa State. Carlisle noted that Haliburton was limited in Friday's practice, but an MRI returned positive results.
"He was limited yesterday in practice," Carlisle told reporters before the Hawks game. "He's doing better each day. They did an MRI of this, and everything looks really good."
When asked about Haliburton's Achilles, Carlisle was quick to ease any concerns. "The Achilles looks great," he said. "All the doctors looked at it and it's just gonna be a matter of him working through it."
Looking ahead, the hope is that Haliburton will be a full participant in Monday's practice, though Carlisle could not make any guarantees. "We're hopeful that he practices Monday and plays Tuesday," Carlisle said. "If he's not ready to play Tuesday, then we'll get him ready for Friday." Even though he did not play in the Pacers' second preseason game, Haliburton was seen on the court for a portion of pregame warmups.
Indiana's preseason schedule continues with two more games after Saturday: a Tuesday evening matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center, followed by a Friday night contest at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against the Milwaukee Bucks. Fans can catch all preseason action on DAZN, the new television home of the Indiana Pacers, and on the team's radio flagship stations 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan.
Key Analysis
Haliburton's return is a major boost for the Pacers, but the minor ankle tweak serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between ramping up and risking re-injury. The positive MRI and Carlisle's optimism suggest the setback is minor, and the team will likely proceed with caution to ensure their franchise player is fully healthy for the regular season.