Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t played in the NBA since Game 7 of the 2025 Finals. Fast-forward 14 months to the present day, and he’s fully recovered and ready to hit NBA hardwood to start off the 2026-27 season.
However, the scheduling for his ‘return game’ has the Pacers star feeling a bit disrespected.
Tyrese Haliburton Shocked at First NBA Game Since Injury being an Away Game
The Pacers open up their season away from home at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans against the Pelicans. At first glance, fans may think this isn’t out of the ordinary, given that Indiana was a bottom-five team in the league last season.
But when you put into perspective that an All-NBA talent like Haliburton is making his return for the first time since June 23, 2025, things get a bit dicey.
Haliburton appeared on the “Numbers on the Board” podcast to discuss this strange scheduling.
“I looked at the schedule and thought, wow. Nothing personal, my guy Trey Murphy III is there, I love New Orleans, but I was kind of shocked.”
A team that was in the NBA Finals less than 15 months ago, not having their first home game to start a season, is certainly a polarizing decision. Haliburton also alluded to his well-above-average stature as an NBA star in the basketball ethos and how this should’ve been taken into consideration.
“Think of a player you could compare to my level of basketball, someone who’s torn their Achilles tendon and been out for 16 months… that wouldn’t be nationally televised, right?”
Did the NBA disrespect the Pacers with their opening night matchup? 🤔 https://t.co/kurpzCayvD pic.twitter.com/fi2ttX538p
— Numbers On The Board (@notbpod) August 13, 2026
The Pacers also have merely 11 nationally televised games this upcoming season. While the team did win just 19 games last season, having fewer than a dozen games on national TV must rub Pacers players the wrong way, to some extent.
The schedule also came out after Haliburton confirmed that he’s healthy to start 2026-27.
“I feel great. I’m doing everything. Playing pickup pretty regularly at this point. So, I feel great. I will be ready for the season. If the season was today, I’d be ready. So, [it] can’t come fast enough,” said Haliburton via WISH-TV.
Haliburton even confirmed that he’s been dunking quite a bit recently. A few of them were even between-the-legs slams, which he claimed he hasn’t done since he was 20 years old.
While this league decision may feel a bit disrespectful to Pacers players, it’s now up to Haliburton and the rest of the roster to make the NBA regret it.
