Pacers Defeat Timberwolves: Haliburton Returns, Jarace & Nesmith Shine

Alex Golden and Mike Facci are back to recap the Indiana Pacers' 123-112 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first preseason game of the 2026-27 season!

The biggest storyline of the night was Tyrese Haliburton making his long-awaited return to an NBA court after nearly 16 months away. And what better place for it to happen than Ames, Iowa, the home of his alma mater, Iowa State?

Alex and Facci spend plenty of time discussing Haliburton's return, what stood out about his performance and just how special it was to see Indiana's franchise point guard back on the floor in front of a passionate Cyclones crowd.

The guys then dive into the game itself, highlighting Jarace Walker and Aaron Nesmith, who stood out as two of Indiana's most impactful players. What made their performances so encouraging, and what could it mean for their roles moving forward?

Alex and Facci also break down how Rick Carlisle utilized his rotation, which players made strong impressions and what areas still need improvement as Indiana works toward the regular season.

And it wouldn't be a game in Ames without a little extra entertainment!

Braden Smith received quite the welcome from Iowa State fans, who booed the former Purdue point guard seemingly every time he touched the basketball. The guys discuss the hilarious atmosphere and some of the memorable moments from the crowd.

Haliburton's emotional homecoming, standout performances from Walker and Nesmith, early rotation takeaways and plenty of entertaining moments from Ames.

Pacers basketball is officially back, and Alex and Facci break it all down on today's Setting The Pace!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.