# Haliburton's return

Sports · Heat 1.8 / 10 · 3 shows · 16m airtime

Tyrese Haliburton returned from injury on October 21, 2026, finishing with 23 points and 12 assists in 34 minutes as the Pacers beat the Pelicans, and got emotional in his postgame interview about being back on the floor. The discussion has since moved past the return itself: Indiana scored 123 while shooting 73% at the rim despite poor three-point and free-throw shooting, and Herb Jones played just under 17 minutes off the bench and was not on the floor for the final possession. What remains open is how much of the win was the rim efficiency and how the Pelicans' rotation, with Zion Williamson and DeJounte Murray, holds up.

Page: https://boilpoints.com/point/haliburtons_return_3223218977

## Segments

- [The Athletic NBA Daily](https://boilpoints.com/u/theathleticnbadaily), 2026-10-22, 18:56 to 20:17: **Covers Haliburton's 23 and 12 in return**. Covers Haliburton's first game back: a slow start, a strong finish, 23 points and 12 assists in 34 minutes, and an emotional postgame interview. Also credits the Siakam-Haliburton fourth quarter and notes the Pelicans' improved look. New angle: Haliburton returned with 23 points and 12 assists in 34 minutes and got emotional in his postgame interview.
- [The Pat McAfee Show](https://boilpoints.com/u/thepatmcafeeshow), 2026-10-22, 1:06:02 to 1:09:26: **Recaps Haliburton's return line and rehab**. Recaps Haliburton's return line and the postgame emotion, then fills in the rehab backstory: the Achilles tear in Game 7 of the Finals and a bout of shingles during recovery. Stays inside the numbers already on the record.
- [The Pat McAfee Show](https://boilpoints.com/u/thepatmcafeeshow), 2026-10-22, 1:47:25 to 1:50:44: **Touches Haliburton only as a side note**. Kendrick Perkins' segment touches Haliburton's return only as a side note: he apologizes to him and credits the comeback to time away from the game. The substance is MVP picks and the league's parity, not the Pacers-Pelicans game.
- [The Ryen Russillo Show](https://boilpoints.com/u/theryenrussilloshow), 2026-10-22, 12:17 to 15:04: **Recaps the closing possessions of the Pacers' win**. Recaps the Pacers' tight win over the Pelicans through the closing possessions: the same Siakam-Haliburton high pick-and-roll four straight times, Zion unable to recover, and New Orleans' help rules breaking down. Stays inside the game already on the record.
- [The Athletic NBA Daily](https://boilpoints.com/u/theathleticnbadaily), 2026-10-24, 33:08 to 34:16: **Recaps the loss from the losing bench**. Spins the Wheel of Fandom to New Orleans and recaps the 123-120 home loss to Indiana, then hands off to a Pelicans beat guest to open the starting-lineup question. Retells the Haliburton return game from the losing bench.
- [The Athletic NBA Daily](https://boilpoints.com/u/theathleticnbadaily), 2026-10-24, 34:01 to 36:32: **Zooms in on Herb Jones's minutes**. Zooms in on the Pelicans' Game 1 rotation: the two-point-guard start was expected, but Herb Jones played just under 17 minutes off the bench and sat the final possession, which the segment treats as the real coaching question. New angle: Herb Jones played just under 17 minutes off the bench and was not on the floor for the final possession.
- [The Athletic NBA Daily](https://boilpoints.com/u/theathleticnbadaily), 2026-10-24, 39:01 to 40:51: **Breaks down the Pelicans' perimeter defense**. Breaks down the Pelicans' defense in the same opener, arguing the 73% at the rim reflects the perimeter rather than the bigs, and credits Yves Missi while questioning Jamal Mosley's defensive impact. New angle: The Pacers shot 73% at the rim against the Pelicans and scored 123 despite poor three-point and free-throw shooting.