GAME NIGHT: Why Tyrese Haliburton Made an Impact in His Pacers Return | Damian Lillard AND Ja Morant?!

October 8, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Opening Paragraph

Tyrese Haliburton played his first NBA game in 472 days on Wednesday night, and he spent much of it feeling like he was moving too fast. "He needs to slow down to get the game at the right speed for his brain and his current capacity to play," reported Tony East of Locked On Pacers, who was on site in Iowa where the Pacers beat the Timberwolves 123-112. That tension — between rust and impact, between needing to adjust and still being transformative — ran through several of the night's preseason storylines, as Damian Lillard and Ja Morant debuted together in Portland, the Thunder's new rookie center looked like a steal, and a handful of teams showed early signs of what might work and what might not.

Haliburton’s Return and the Pacers' New Look

Haliburton finished with 7.6 assists and a turnover in limited minutes, playing 16 minutes in the first half before the Pacers' reserves took over. The box score matters less than the feel: the speed of the ball, the quick decision-making, the way the offense snapped into a higher gear when he was on the floor. The Pacers acknowledged postgame that their starters were outplayed by their bench, and that they have real work to do integrating center James Wiseman into a system that is no longer a five-out offense with Myles Turner.

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What you'll learn

1 (02:24) **Pacers vs. Timberwolves: Tyrese Haliburton's Return** - Haliburton plays his first game in 472 days, logging 7 points and 6 assists in a 123-112 preseason win.
2 (03:36) **Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards Chemistry** - The duo combined for 8 of 11 from three in 20 minutes each, highlighting a dynamic new backcourt.
3 (05:33) **Blazers vs. Warriors: Damian Lillard and Ja Morant Start Together** - The Blazers debut a star-heavy lineup but struggle defensively against a Warriors team resting its top 11 players.
4 (06:15) **Thunder vs. Bucks: Ademara's Dominant Performance** - The Thunder blow a 24-point lead but rookie Ademara shines, going 10-of-10 from the field for 22 points.
5 (07:30) **Magic vs. Grizzlies: Orlando's New Offensive Identity** - The Magic win 122-118 with a more lively offense under new coach Sean Sweeney, even with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner shooting poorly.
6 (08:33) **Suns vs. Bulls: Caleb Wilson's Debut and Dylan Brooks' Edge** - The Bulls win as rookie Caleb Wilson shows a unique mid-range game, while Dylan Brooks scores 24 points on nine shots.
7 Standout Quotes

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Tony East Ryan Blackburn Philip Rossman-Reich

Show Notes

Nick Angstadt & Ryan Blackburn break down Tyrese Haliburton's return after 472 days, and how his pace and playmaking, plus Ivica Zubac in the middle, lifted a deep Indiana Pacers team past the Minnesota Timberwolves. The hosts look at the instant chemistry between Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, and debate whether Minnesota has enough ball handling behind its two stars. The conversation moves to Portland's long-awaited Damian Lillard and Ja Morant starting lineup, with a debate over whether one of them is benched by Christmas after the Blazers struggled to defend a short-handed Golden State Warriors team. They then react to Aday Mara's perfect 10-for-10 night for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams' preseason debuts, and the Milwaukee Bucks' odd depth. The hosts look at the Orlando Magic's livelier offense under Sean Sweeney and Cameron Boozer's promising start for the Memphis Grizzlies. They wrap with Caleb Wilson's back-and-forth with Dillon Brooks in Bulls vs Suns, and a spicy Dillon Brooks vs Devin Booker debate.

0:00 Timberwolves vs Pacers
12:30 Warriors vs Blazers
21:00 Bucks vs Thunder
27:40 Magic vs Grizzlies
32:00 Suns vs Bulls

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