The Indiana Pacers escaped with a 123-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Indiana outscored New Orleans 37-28 in the fourth quarter to start the season 1-0.
Tyrese Haliburton played well in his return, taking over in the fourth quarter. Haliburton hadn't played a regular-season game since the 2024-25 season, when he tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
In the fourth quarter against the Pelicans, he scored 13 points and added two assists, shooting 4-for-4 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Haliburton finished the game with 23 points, two rebounds, 12 assists, and a steal, shooting 8-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-6 from three.
The star point guard showed why he's one of the best players in the league when on the floor, as he's a great scorer and playmaker. Haliburton's running mate, Pascal Siakam, also made his presence known in the season opener.
Pascal Siakam had 30 points, eight rebounds, an assist, and a steal, shooting 13-for-23 from the field and 1-for-3 from deep. Siakam played well in the 2025-26 season, but it didn't translate into wins while the Pacers were without Haliburton. He is elevating his game even more with his co-star back on the floor.
Haliburton also got to play with Ivica Zubac for the first time in the regular season. The team acquired Zubac in a key trade at the 2026 trade deadline, and he played well against New Orleans, finishing with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks while shooting 7-for-12 from the field.
His rebounding, shot-blocking, and screen-setting give Indiana a different look at center and will help the team contend this season.
Andrew Nembhard continued to thrive as a secondary creator for the Pacers, with 18 points, two rebounds, nine assists, and a steal, shooting 6-for-10 from the floor. He plays well alongside Haliburton, but can also lead the lineups when the star guard is getting rest on the bench.
Obi Toppin provided a spark off the bench for Indiana with 20 points, three rebounds, an assist, and two steals, shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-9 from distance.
The Pacers won a high-scoring affair in their first game of the season. Rick Carlisle will want his team to clean things up defensively, but it's a promising start to the 2026-27 season with Haliburton back in the lineup.