“Oh my God.” Those were the only words Draymond Green could muster as he witnessed Tyrese Haliburton’s ice-cold “choke” gesture live on the “NBA on TNT” set during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
On Wednesday, May 21, at Madison Square Garden, the Indiana Pacers guard delivered one of the most iconic playoff moments of the season. He drained a clutch two-pointer to force overtime against the New York Knicks, then threw up the same legendary “choke” sign made famous by Reggie Miller decades ago in the very same arena.
The Pacers went on to stun the Knicks 138-135 in overtime. Now, Green is making headlines again — not for what he did on the court, but for what he said off of it.
Draymond Green Has a Request for the NBA
In the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” Green addressed Haliburton’s bold gesture head-on. Instead of condemning the move, the four-time NBA champion sent a direct message to the league office not to punish Haliburton.
“I pray to God that the NBA don’t fine him. We take so many things so literal, and like in today’s day and age, you can’t act like you’re choking someone,” said Green during the podcast.
Green further explained that Haliburton’s gesture was not a malicious or harmful act. According to him, it was a moment of competitive fire, a playoff flashpoint that should be remembered, not reprimanded.
“Let’s face it, come on. The guy is not really about to choke someone. And I hope the NBA don’t fine him because that’s what we paying to see,” Green said. “Like you talk about entertainers being entertainers, you talk about stars being stars on the biggest stage at the Mecca.”
Green’s perspective holds even more weight considering his own recent run-in with the league. He was fined $50,000 for what the NBA described as an “inappropriate comment” made to officials during Game 3 of the Warriors’ second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on May 10.
It wasn’t the first time either. Throughout his career, Green has racked up nearly $1 million in fines — $992,000 to be exact — with $185,000 of that amount tied specifically to his interactions with referees. Across 229 fines, that is an average financial penalty of over $4,300.
Green’s stance on Haliburton’s gesture feels both personal and principled. He knows firsthand how strict the NBA has become regarding player conduct and on-court behavior.
In recent years, the league has taken a much firmer approach to regulating player gestures. One prime example this season came when Ja Morant was fined $75,000 for mimicking an imaginary gun gesture not once but twice — first against the Golden State Warriors, and then again in a game against the Miami Heat.
The message from the league office was clear: gestures, even symbolic ones, are no longer taken lightly.
Tyrese Haliburton Initially Didn’t Plan To Do the ‘Choke’ Celebration
While the celebration by Haliburton has been the talk of the town now, he revealed after Game 1 that he didn’t want to do it.
Haliburton admitted he wishes he hadn’t done the gesture, not because he’s above it but because of how the moment played out. He believed he had just hit a walk-off 3-pointer to seal the game. However, the shot was ruled a 2-pointer, which only tied the game and sent it into overtime.
The premature celebration didn’t hit the mark as intended, and Haliburton later reflected that it made the moment feel less triumphant and more awkward.
“I wasn’t like plotting on it or anything. Everybody wanted me to do it last year at some point, but it’s got to feel right. It felt right at the time … if I would’ve known it was a two, I would not have done it,” said Haliburton, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN.
Despite the hiccup, Haliburton was instrumental in helping the Pacers grab a Game 1 win, dropping 31 points. He continued to fuel Indiana’s momentum in Game 2 on May 23, adding 14 points in a dominant (114-109) win. Haliburton and the Pacers now look ahead to Game 3 against the New York Knicks on May 25.
