Tyrese Haliburton ‘looks tremendous’ on return to OKC after devastating NBA Finals injury

Mark Daigneault praised Tyrese Haliburton after the Indiana Pacers star returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since suffering a devastating Achilles injury in the 2025 NBA Finals. Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering the injury during Game 7 of the Finals. His return to Paycom Center offered a significant moment for both teams. The Pacers guard made it even more memorable by scoring 24 points in just 18 minutes during Tuesday’s preseason meeting. He also knocked down four three-pointers as Indiana pushed Oklahoma City into overtime before eventually losing 114-112. Mark Daigneault praises Tyrese Haliburton after long road back Daigneault made a point of recognising Haliburton’s performance after the game while acknowledging the difficult journey that followed his injury. The Thunder coach said: “Both teams came to play. Shoutout to Haliburton, he looks great. I mentioned that before the game, but obviously that’s a long road back for him. There’s a history with us because it happened in that series. I was happy to see him out there, number one, and in that form. Number two, he looks tremendous.” There was plenty of history behind Haliburton’s return. His Achilles injury happened during the opening stages of Game 7 against Oklahoma City as the Thunder eventually went on to win their first NBA championship. For Indiana, losing its star player immediately after that Finals run meant a long wait to see Haliburton back on the court. His performance in Oklahoma City provided plenty of encouragement. The 24 points came in limited minutes but Haliburton looked comfortable and showed the shooting and playmaking that made him such a key part of Indiana’s run to the Finals. Thunder fans also had reason to appreciate the moment. Haliburton’s injury remains closely connected to one of the most significant nights in franchise history and his return gave Oklahoma City the chance to see him healthy again. The Pacers will now hope Haliburton can continue building towards the regular season without setbacks. If he can maintain this level after missing an entire season, Indiana could quickly become a much tougher opponent in the Eastern Conference. Pacers will take on Bucks on Friday as their final preseason encounter before they start their regular NBA season. Kristaps Porzingis goes off on ‘internet doctors’ amid speculation over his unidentified illness Kendrick Perkins shocks the ESPN studio with ‘bold’ NBA champions prediction Remembering John Wooden’s perfect lesson for Bill Walton on NCAA legend’s 116th birth anniversary