The Indiana Pacers’ 2025 playoff run was one for the ages. The team had its back against the wall multiple times during its path to the NBA Finals, but triumphed through it all.
Although the run saw strong performances throughout the Pacers’ ranks, the story’s protagonist was Tyrese Haliburton, who delivered a game-tying or game-winning shot in each of the team’s series.
While the first of those clutch shots came in their series against the Milwaukee Bucks, Haliburton’s heroics were initially overshadowed by his father’s antics. Discussing the incident with Logan Paul, Haliburton shared his side of the story.
How Did Tyrese Haliburton Respond to His Father’s Actions?
Tyrese’s father, John Haliburton, was in a heated confrontation with Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Pacers’ first-round playoff series in 2025. The incident occurred immediately after the team’s Game 5 overtime victory, which sealed the series win.
While appearing on Paul’s “IMPAULSIVE” podcast, the Pacers guard was asked how he felt about the confrontation. While Tyrese admitted his father was at fault, he also felt the incident was blown out of proportion.
“I think he just got caught up in the moment, bro. He was excited. You know what I mean? Just got caught up in it and you know the amount of like media I had to do to like addressing it. It got to the point where it’s like all right to go in media and say, ‘Bro, my dad was tripping,’” said Haliburton.
“That’s like that should be enough for me. Like I don’t know. They wanted me to keep coming in like let me like double down and like talk about my dad in like a negative light and like bro he made a mistake like we’ve all made mistakes in life like everybody just move on.”
The situation unfolded after Tyrese hit a game-winning layup with 1.3 seconds left, putting a cap on a thrilling comeback and eliminating the Bucks. As the final buzzer sounded, an emotional Antetokounmpo stood on the court, dejected and processing the loss. That’s when John Haliburton walked onto the court, waving a towel with his son’s image on it and shouting, “This is what we f***in’ do!” at Giannis.
The confrontation quickly escalated, and the two went forehead-to-forehead in a heated verbal exchange before being separated by security and other players.
Following the incident, John was banned from attending NBA games. He returned to the arena after eight games during the team’s Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the New York Knicks.
While both John and Tyrese showed accountability for the incident, some fans believed the matter called for a stricter punishment, even demanding that John be banned for life. However, all that chatter later disappeared due to Tyrese’s magic on the court. If it was not for a devastating Achilles tear, that incredible run might have included the Larry O’Brien trophy.
