Tyrese Haliburton made his return to regular-season action, scoring 23 points and dishing out 12 assists to help the Indiana Pacers rally past the New Orleans Pelicans 123-120 in a hard-fought contest, Sportando reported. Playing in his first game since suffering a torn right Achilles tendon 16 months ago, Haliburton orchestrated a crucial fourth-quarter comeback to secure the victory.
Pascal Siakam Leads Indiana With 30 Points
While Haliburton controlled the offense in his return, Pascal Siakam carried the primary scoring load for the Pacers with 30 points. Siakam proved especially lethal down the stretch, netting 12 of his total points during a frantic fourth quarter that saw Indiana erase a late deficit. The late-game surge provided the necessary punch to keep the Pacers within striking distance before taking control of the scoreboard.
Indiana also received significant contributions throughout the lineup to offset a sluggish defensive stretch in the first half. Obi Toppin added 20 points, Andrew Nembhard chipped in 18 points, and Ivica Zubac anchored the interior with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
New Orleans Dominates the Second Quarter Before Haliburton’s Late Heroics
The Pelicans built their advantage by dominating the second quarter, outscoring Indiana 35-18 to take a 66-56 lead into halftime. Zion Williamson fueled that surge by scoring the final eight points of the first half, a sequence that included two consecutive three-pointers. Williamson finished the night with 22 points for New Orleans.
New Orleans maintained control well into the second half, pushing its lead to 101-93. That was when Haliburton took over. The point guard sparked a decisive 15-3 run that erased the deficit. With the game tied at 116-116, Haliburton knocked down two clutch baskets to put the Pacers ahead for good, allowing Quenton Jackson to seal the win from the free-throw line in the closing moments.
Balanced Scoring Effort From the Pelicans Falls Short
Dejounte Murray led the Pelicans with 23 points, matching Haliburton’s output from the opposing backcourt. Yves Missi anchored the paint for New Orleans with 13 points and 14 rebounds, matching Zubac’s double-double performance inside. Despite holding a double-digit lead in the second half, the Pelicans could not contain Indiana’s late surge, as Siakam and Haliburton combined to dictate the game’s final minutes.
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