# Can Haliburton’s Return Put the Pacers Back in Contention - Original post: https://www.twitter.com/i/status/2112171269093298628 - Source account: [@NBAextra](https://x.com/NBAextra) - Source language: French - Target language: English - Duration: 2:45 - Published: 2026-10-19 - Machine translated. Check the original before quoting. - Canonical URL: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention - Original-language version: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/fr/pacers-le-retour-d-haliburton-peut-il-relancer-indiana.md ## Transcript [0:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention) Indiana Pacers finalists, not so long ago. [0:03](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=3) He fixed his Achilles tendon, he's back. [0:05](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=5) Uh, was it his knee or his tendon, right? [0:07](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=7) Achilles tendons. Achilles tendons, yeah. He's back, and we can still say that we've rediscovered the Pacers, who were finalists not so long ago. [0:14](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=14) Yes, a year ago. Yeah, and this team that had completely written off last season, it, it now finds itself really appealing, really, on paper, very underrated. [0:21](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=21) Maybe we're not talking about them enough. [0:23](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=23) These Pacers have a magnificent frontcourt, given that they brought Evan Zoubek back, with Pascal Siakam alongside him. That's still fantastic at the four and five spots. [0:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=30) The question with Tyrese Haliburton is what condition he'll be in when he returns. [0:32](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=32) We know it's been difficult for him, that he's suffered during his recovery, that he also suffered from a hormonal illness that threw him off a little in his comeback. So there are lots of things revolving around that. [0:42](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=42) Yeah, the footage was a little hard to watch. [0:43](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=43) He battled. Poor Haliburton suffered. On paper, if everything works out, it’s a top team that went to a Game Seven against the Thunder a year and a half ago in the NBA Finals. [0:52](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=52) Uh, you add Zoubek to the mix. Listen, if it clicks, it’s a very good team. [0:56](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=56) Still led by Rick Carlisle. Of course, will Haliburton’s big return change everything for the Pacers, who will already want to make the playoffs right away ? [1:06](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=66) Of course. We brought back footage from, from, from Haliburton’s first game with the Pacers. [1:11](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=71) It was very moving because you said it, he— He suffered, you know, during his rehabilitation. It was a real mission for him. [1:18](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=78) He perfectly embodies these franchises. Anyway, we feel that everything is falling into place for them, for them, to perhaps go very far in this Eastern Conference. [1:25](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=85) Do you share that opinion? Yes, yes, especially about the regular season, I think. [1:31](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=91) Uh, they have, they have a style of play, and Zoubek is a player who fits in easily— That's interesting. [1:37](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=97) In all of college basketball. Uh, the, the, the duo Siakam, Zoubek inside. So maybe against the very, very big guys like Victor, Jokic, Holmgren, you suffer a little, but they're great basketball players. [1:50](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=110) And around him, with Haliburton, of course, as the leader, the young guys Nembhard, all the guys they have there. [1:56](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=116) Nesmith, they play good basketball and... and I, I believe in the Pacers. Top six for sure. At least, in my view. [2:05](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=125) I’m one hundred percent on board. We completely forgot about them, but we also understood why they’re coming back after a year, a year, you know, that was completely written off. No, this is a team that was a finalist, that is going to... that is going to, yeah, yeah, that has ambitions and, in my opinion, has [2:18](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=138) really got what it takes to match its ambitions. [2:19](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=139) It’s kind of the team from the Lance Turner era, but with Zoubek. [2:23](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=143) Yeah. I think Zoubek, in this case, is more interesting than Lance Turner. [2:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=146) It’s still a bit better, isn’t it? It’s not about a player’s value. [2:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=150) Maybe in terms of complementarity, it’s a bit easier. [2:33](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=153) At any rate, that’s what Eric Carlyle likes, he’s a basketball aesthete. [2:36](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/7LUdbLIt9XZN/en/can-haliburton-s-return-put-the-pacers-back-in-contention?t=156) That’s true. The game’s fundamentals will be respected around Haliburton, those crazy guys, the Nesmiths, the Nembhards, the ones we see running all over the place.