The Indiana Pacers are back in the lead once again in the 2025 NBA Finals. They defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 116-107, at home on Wednesday in Game 3. The big fourth-quarter run Tyrese Haliburton and the team made was basically the beginning of the end of OKC’s hopes and dreams.
After flirting with the ball far too many times, the Pacers proved that they are no longer underdogs, but rather big performers, capable of making history. And it does call for celebration. John ‘Pops’ Haliburton was also in the house, looking at his son outscoring the Thunder. And after the game, both Haliburton men have some plans set ahead.
Tyrese Haliburton’s Funny Take on Father John Haliburton’s Plans
Yes, Haliburton managed to bag a major win on Wednesday. But he also managed to create a new way of celebrating, or rather, a meme with his father!
Before the game, microphones repeatedly caught him saying that his father was “outta pocket for them jeans”. After the glorious victory, he shared the same sentiment once again with the media.
When asked about what his celebration plans are going to be like with John, Haliburton said, “I’m gonna go say what up and he gonna go home. He outta pocket for them jeans, but other than that, it’s good to see him out here.” Cool, calm, casual, yet funny!
Tyrese Haliburton full postgame interview on the court, after the Pacers beat OKC in game 3 and go up 2-1 in the series – 2025 NBA Finals! pic.twitter.com/Tn7NLaavsI
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) June 12, 2025
Hilarious take on his father, who started the playoffs this year with a rather infamous confrontation with Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. After the heated forehead-to-forehead argument, John was banned indefinitely from the Pacers games.
Later, the Pacers announced that John would return to watch the Pacers game from his suite. It was surprising to see John coming down the stands to celebrate with the team after their Game 1 victory. In Game 3, he was seen sitting around WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark, cheering Hali on.
But the fact that he’s now back and being roasted by his son for his jeans is perhaps a moment to capture for years to come. It just goes to show the bond that the father-son duo holds, despite everything.
The Pacers’ Defense Worked Wonders Against the OKC Thunder
Indy seems to have figured out their defensive strategy, which worked wonders in Game 3 against the Thunder. They had a rather impressive night leading the entirety of the game, with the Pacers becoming the eighth team in the play-by-play era to score 40 points in a Finals quarter.
Other teams that have achieved this feat include big names like the Lakers and Cavaliers.
After the second game loss, the Pacers have grounded themselves, setting themselves up for an anticipated final victory. They wonderfully took the home-court advantage and worked it out in their favor, which the Thunder could not do in Game 1.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was seen lagging at times in this game, scouring for points until the second quarter. While they did manage to take the lead in the first quarter, Haliburton and team took over later, ending the first half of the game with a four-point lead.
Of course, it is not just the Haliburton duo who will be celebrating this win, but millions of fans along with them. The two teams meet again on Friday for Game 4 in Indianapolis.
