Tyrese Haliburton Returns From Achilles Tear, Drops 23 and 12 on Pelicans
Haliburton fought back tears after his comeback — 23 points, 12 assists in 34 minutes. Here's what it means for your fantasy roster.
Full-minute Achilles return with elite assist output — grab him before his price climbs.
- 23 points, 12 assists, 2 rebounds in return
- Played a full 34 minutes off an Achilles tear
- Dime total matched his best playmaking form
- Pacers hosted the game in New Orleans
Tyrese Haliburton is back, and he didn't ease into it. In his return from an Achilles injury, the Pacers guard logged 34 minutes and stuffed the box score with 23 points, 12 assists and two rebounds against the Pelicans. That's not a maintenance shift — that's a franchise point guard being trusted with a starter's workload on night one.
The emotion was obvious. Asked in his postgame interview how it felt to be back, Haliburton couldn't hold back tears, saying he was simply thankful to be on the floor again. He also tempered the moment with realism, noting the Pacers have plenty to improve on but insisting the team's identity is coming back and that he's proud of the group.
Why the Line Matters
For a player returning from an Achilles tear, the minutes are the headline. Thirty-four is not a cautious cap — it signals the Pacers either have no restriction or a very loose one, which is exactly what fantasy managers want to see. The 12 assists are just as encouraging: his court vision and legs both look functional, and the scoring came without him needing to overexert.
The one caveat is the usual post-injury volatility. Return games can produce big adrenaline-fueled nights followed by dips, and Indiana's rotation could still throttle his load on back-to-backs. But a 23-and-12 opener with zero visible hesitation is the best-case scenario you could script.
The Fantasy Fallout
If Haliburton slipped in your draft or got stashed on an IL slot while managers waited out the injury news, this is your window. Buy low now — one more game like this and his trade value spikes. Managers holding him should lock him into lineups immediately; the assist floor alone makes him a weekly starter, and the full-minute workload removes the biggest question mark hanging over his season.
