The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Indiana Pacers in an NBA Finals rematch inside the Paycom Center for the Thunder's final home game of the preseason slate and penultimate game of the exhibition contests.
This is the first time that Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton has made the trip to Oklahoma City since the Pacers Game 7 loss in the NBA Finals where Haliburton suffered a brutal torn Achilles injury that held him out of the entire 2025-26 campaign. During this past regular season, Haliburton didn't feel up to making the trip to Bricktown mentally.
Now, Indiana's superstar has returned to the hardwood and is primed to prove again he is a top 15 player in the NBA. Haliburton was a full participant in training camp practice on Monday without confirmation that he would play in this game.
Pregame, the Paycom Center faithful who filed into the game early got a glimpse at Halburton warming up pregame as they awaited his announcement on if he would play.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are sitting All-NBA big man Chet Holmgren (quad contusion), Jaylin Williams (Heel Soreness), Ajay Mitchell (rest) are all out alongside with Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber still out with injury management.
OKC Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers starting lineup
OKC Thunder Starting Lineup
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
- Cason Wallace, G
- Jalen Williams, F
- Alex Caruso, F
- Isaiah Hartenstein, C
Indiana Pacers Starting Lineup
- Tyrese Haliburton, G
- Ben Sheppard, G
- Kelly Oubre Jr. F
- Pascal Siakam, F
- Ivica Zubac, C
This will be an awesome scene in Oklahoma City as Tyrese Haliburton returns to the Paycom Center hardwood to play in this preseason contest and likely get the emotion out of the way before the two sides meet here in the regular season come February. The Pacers will be back in the mix in the Eastern Conference when the season starts.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be back in action on Thursday against the Houston Rockets for a road preseason contest to wrap up exhibition play before enjoying four days off ahead of the team's key season opener in San Antonio on Tuesday, Oct. 20. That matchup, against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, will be a rematch of last year's Western Conference Finals where San Antonio ousted Oklahoma City in seven games. The Thunder will be looking to make statement in this matchup against a team that had their number a year ago.
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