"Tyler Hansbrough's final stat line doesn't mean anything. It was his presence going up and down the court during a game that had people excited Friday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Hansbrough appeared in his first game of any kind in nine months, coming off the bench for 19 minutes in the Indiana Pacers' 93-86 preseason loss to the Orlando Magic.

"It felt good," Hansbrough said. "It felt like it's going to take me awhile to get in a rhythm. You can practice, but there's nothing like getting back in a game.

"It feels good to be back on the court and as part of the team. It's going to take me a minute to get back in the groove of things."

Hansbrough, who had been sidelined since last January with vertigo, had nine points, three rebounds and three fouls.

When Hansbrough would play in a game had been a mystery to everybody.

He was cleared for contact drills a week before training camp started but wasn't given clearance to play in a game until Friday morning."