Tyrese Haliburton is back on the court for the Indiana Pacers after missing the entire 2025-26 season, and the Dallas Mavericks are walking straight into that hype tonight in Indianapolis. The Pacers are celebrating their star’s return with a 1-0 record, having just held off the New Orleans Pelicans 123-120. Meanwhile, the Mavericks (0-1) are still looking for their first win of the season after getting throttled by the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
Dallas Needs To Find Their Game FAST
Coming off a tough loss to the Rockets, Dallas is still on the road and needs a win, big time. That season opener against Houston wasn’t pretty, with the Mavs getting absolutely smoked. The biggest takeaways from that debacle? Dallas has to play way better transition defense. If they don’t lock that down, the Pacers could put this one away quicker than you can say “triple-double.” And it’s not just the guards: the big men, especially, need to rebound the ball like their season depends on it. They just didn’t get it done against Houston, and with the energy in Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight, they can’t afford a repeat performance.
Haliburton’s Homecoming Is Going To Be Electric
This isn’t just a regular season game, folks. This is the Pacers’ home debut, and it’s Tyrese Haliburton’s first game back on his home court since going down with that brutal Achilles tear in Game 7 of the 2024 NBA Finals. Talk about a comeback story! The crowd is going to be absolutely buzzing, and Dallas isn’t just battling a solid Pacers team, they are battling those emotions in the building. Haliburton already showed he’s ready to roll with the Pelicans win, and you know he’s going to be fired up for this one.
Who’s Sidelined Tonight?
The injury report is a mixed bag for both squads. For Dallas, Dereck Lively and Santi Aldama are still out, a status they’ve held since the start of training camp. Tarik Biberovic is missing the game with heel bursitis, and Caleb Martin is out with a thumb sprain. Adding to the headache, Jett Howard is doubtful with a right calf issue. Over on the Pacers’ side, they’re without TJ McConnell due to a hamstring injury. Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard are both questionable as of now, so we’ll have to see if they suit up.
The Mavericks have their work cut out for them, heading into an emotionally charged arena against a confident Pacers team led by a returning superstar. They need to step up their game on defense and on the glass if they want to avoid starting the season 0-2. It’s an early test, but a crucial one for Dallas to show what they’re truly made of.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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