Tyrese Haliburton after his first game in 486 days: ‘I didn’t think I was gonna cry,’ and ‘perspective is everything’

Tyrese Haliburton said he did not expect the tears. Then the final horn sounded on his first game in 486 days, the Indiana Pacers had beaten the New Orleans Pelicans 123-120, and he could barely get through his on-court interview.

“I don’t know, I thought that this moment would just feel super emotional for me. I didn’t think I was gonna cry, I really didn’t,” Haliburton said afterward. He said it hit him while he was talking to Pacers broadcaster Jeremiah Johnson and saw how many Indiana fans had made the trip.

Haliburton finished with 23 points and 12 assists in 34 minutes on Wednesday night in New Orleans, his first regular-season game since he tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. He scored 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, when Indiana erased a six-point deficit and outscored the Pelicans 37-28.

Tyrese Haliburton broke down during his postgame interview with Jeremiah Johnson 🥹

So good to have you back, 0 💙 pic.twitter.com/w0py2seq2C

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 22, 2026

The video above was posted by the Pacers.

‘It means a lot to be back out here’

Johnson caught him on the floor right after the game and asked how much fun he was having. Haliburton paused, then managed: “It means a lot to be back out here.”

He was more composed talking about the game itself. “We got a lot to pick up. Second quarter wasn’t good, but, you know, we’re battle-tested, so we finished this game the right way,” he said. “Really proud of this group.” Indiana had been outscored 35-18 in the second quarter and trailed 66-56 at halftime.

Asked whether he had pictured this moment during the last 16 months of rehab, he answered “Yeah, yeah, a lot,” then signed off: “I’m just really thankful to be back out here. Pacers fans, appreciate you.” Fans in the visiting arena chanted “MVP” as he walked off the floor.

‘Perspective is everything’

In his postgame media session, Haliburton described what the emotion actually was. “I think just an appreciation, man. Perspective is everything,” he said.

Tyrese Haliburton on his postgame emotions: pic.twitter.com/D6il9WytTD

— Tony East (@TonyREast) October 22, 2026

The video above was posted by Pacers reporter Tony East.

He said the turning point came on the bench, during a stretch when the night was not going well for him or for Indiana. “As the game was going on, I was struggling a little bit. I was tired and just not playing well, we weren’t playing well,” he said. “I’ve had those moments before where it’s kind of like, I need this game to get done.” This time, he said, was different. “I just kind of took a step back when I was on the bench there and I was just like, man, I’m back playing. I’m back here, and I just want to live in the moment as much as I can.”

“I’m obviously only 26 years old, but I think it’s a new perspective that I’ve found, and I’m just really appreciative to be back playing,” he added.

He also pointed to the crowd. “We haven’t won here in what, five years or whatever,” he said. “And to see all those Pacers fans here in New Orleans for this means a lot to me. And this organization, this city means a lot. And it just means a lot for me to be back doing what I love. So yeah, I think it kind of just all hit me at once.”

How the fourth quarter went

Haliburton had 7 points in the first quarter, and Indiana led 38-31. New Orleans then took over, and the Pelicans led 92-86 after three. In the fourth, Haliburton scored on three three-point plays, one of them a driving dunk on Derik Queen, and was called for a technical foul shortly after as tempers rose. His floater broke a 116-116 tie, and his driving floater and free throw made it 121-118 with 1:23 left. Quenton Jackson closed it out with two free throws.

He finished 8-of-15 from the field, 2-of-6 from three and 5-of-5 at the line, with 3 turnovers. Pascal Siakam scored 30, including 12 in the fourth, Obi Toppin added 20 off the bench, Andrew Nembhard had 18 points and 9 assists, and Ivica Zubac had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

On the other side was Bennedict Mathurin, Haliburton’s teammate from 2022 until February and the player who promised before the game that he had “a few things” ready for him. Mathurin finished with 11 points for New Orleans.

Haliburton’s first home game that counts since Game 6 of the 2025 Finals comes on Friday, when the Pacers host the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. ET, which is 2 a.m. Saturday in Cairo.