{
  "id": 14327804,
  "title": "Mark Daigneault happy for Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton to return from devastating injury",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/mark-daigneault-happy-for-pacers-tyrese-haliburton-to-return-from",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-14T00:16:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mark-daigneault-happy-pacers-tyrese-001647104.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mark Daigneault, head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, expressed his happiness for Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton's return from a devastating Achilles injury sustained during the 2025 NBA Finals. Haliburton's injury occurred in Game 7 of the finals, forcing him to miss the entire 2025-26 season. Daigneault, who witnessed the injury firsthand, described it as \"devastating\" and highlighted the lengthy recovery period that athletes often face when dealing with such injuries. He praised Haliburton's resilience in returning to the team and acknowledged the Thunder's impressive playoff run, in which Haliburton played a significant role through his individual offensive skills and leadership in activating his teammates. Daigneault looks forward to the Pacers facing the Thunder in a preseason game on Tuesday night.",
  "summary": "As Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton looks to return from the Achilles injury that he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals, a head coach who saw it happen in front of him reflects on that time and how it’s great to see him return. While Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals had the Pacers guard tear his Achilles tendon, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark […] The post Mark Daigneault happy for Pacers’…",
  "key_points": [
    "Mark Daigneault, Thunder coach, happy for Haliburton's return",
    "Tyrese Haliburton injured in NBA Finals Game 7",
    "Pacers face Thunder in preseason game on Tuesday"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Haliburton's return restores a primary offensive engine and leadership presence for the Pacers, signaling a shift in competitive balance for the upcoming preseason matchup against the Thunder.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Tyrese Haliburton shines in emotional NBA preseason return to Oklahoma City",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/tyrese-haliburton-shines-in-emotional-nba-preseason-return-to",
        "published": "2026-10-14T02:13:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}