The Indiana Pacers fell 114-112 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime on Tuesday, marking their second consecutive preseason loss.
However, the result was not the biggest talking point. Instead, Tyrese Haliburton stole the spotlight with an impressive performance in his first game against the team that defeated Indiana in the 2025 NBA Finals since returning from injury.
NBA World Amazed by Tyrese Haliburton’s Performance vs. Thunder
In his first game back in Oklahoma City since tearing his right Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals, Haliburton finished with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting, including 4-for-6 from 3-point range in just 18 minutes.
He also went 2-for-3 from the free-throw line and added 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. All of his points came in the first half, as the two-time All-Star sat out the second half of the overtime loss.
Haliburton averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game across 23 games in the 2025 NBA playoffs before suffering his devastating injury setback in Game 7 of the Finals. After his latest performance, some fans pointed out that he has the same fire.
“OK, Tyrese is just resuming where he left off in Game 7,” oneX user said, whereas another wrote, “Haliburton really might be even better now.”
During the 2024-25 campaign, Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game across 73 starts, shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.8% from 3. He helped lead the Pacers to a 50-32 regular-season record and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference before guiding them to their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years.
One fan indirectly suggested that had Haliburton not been injured, the Pacers would have won the championship instead of the Thunder.
“Yea, injury saved Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander’s] career; that was a Pacers ring,” the account said, whereas another wrote, “So NBA Twitter telling me Shai got a fake ring bet.”
While most users were busy reacting to how well Haliburton played, one took a different approach. They suggested that the 26-year-old’s preseason performance was exactly how he would have played in Game 7 had he not been injured.
“We’re seeing exactly what would’ve happened in that Game 7,” the user said.
Although it remains too early to draw conclusions from a preseason game, Haliburton’s shooting efficiency marks a promising sign for Indiana. With him back on the court and thriving, the Pacers will hope his return can help them build momentum before the regular season begins.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.