Tyrese Haliburton just provided a promising injury update every Pacers fan must hear

The Indiana Pacers have been and will continue to be without Tyrese Haliburton this season as he recovers from an Achilles tear he suffered in Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals. But even though he's not on the court now, things are gradually looking up for the Wisconsin native who feels "really good" over seven months after his injury.

“Man, I feel really good, my body feels really good. Just started playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 full court, that’s been good to be with the interns and stuff," Haliburton said on the 'Mind the Game' podcast.

"The biggest thing is I really am glad for where I am. I'm thankful for it. The process has sucked ... but I understand that it's allowing me to grow in different ways, to grow in my faith, to grow in all these different ways that have been good for me. I think seeing the game of basketball, I'm watching it in a different light."

If you're a Pacers fan reading this, you don't need me to tell you how devastating Haliburton's injury was. He and the team were on a miraculous playoff run last year: the type that you only see in movies. And for them to be one win away from winning it all and have their championship dreams be shattered in a second... that's just cruel.

And the Pacers are navigating through the aftermath right now.

A little over halfway through the season, they are 11-36 and own the worst record in the NBA. They look like a complete shell of their last-year selves, and it's going to be a little bit before they can be considered real contenders again.

But that's exactly it. Even if things look grim in Indiana right now, the future is still bright. And if Haliburton can return to form, then the Pacers should be able to re-enter the title picture and finish what they started, regardless of how long it will take to happen.

Tyrese Haliburton is crucial to the Pacers' success

It wasn't a question before, and it especially isn't one now: Haliburton is the key to Indiana's long-term success. He is the engine of the whole offense, and the Pacers may also be missing him on the defensive side more than they anticipated as well.

The Pacers have dealt with a plethora of other injuries this season (Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Bennedict Mathurin, and Obi Toppin have all missed a substantial amount of time, just to name a few players), and that has certainly played a role in their shortcomings. But let's not kid ourselves: Haliburton's absence is the biggest reason for their down year, and it isn't even that close.

There is a lot to like about Indiana's long-term outlook. It has a fantastic roster, coaching staff, and front office, there is a great chance it will land a top pick in this year's loaded draft class, and its two-time All-NBA guard will be back on the court sooner than later.

Times are tough right now for the Pacers, but it's all temporary. And given how well Haliburton seems to be doing in his recovery, there are even more reasons to believe they can get back to the top and make some noise very soon.