The Indiana Pacers are heading to the Eastern Conference semifinals after Tyrese Haliburton buried a clutch game-winner to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks. But with emotions running high and the Cleveland Cavaliers up next, the Pacers are tightening things up—including off the court.
In a move seen to avoid further altercations or distractions, the team has barred Haliburton’s father, John Haliburton, from attending home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse following a heated courtside confrontation with Giannis Antetokounmpo during Game 6 of the first round. The ban reportedly also extends to road games in Cleveland.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Haliburton addressed the issue head-on.
“This is the last time I’ll address this at all,” he said. “I understand the decision made by our organization and the league. I’ve spoken on it many times that my father was in the wrong, but at the end of the day, it’s my dad. I’m not going to ridicule him by any means.”
Despite the incident, the 24-year-old star made it clear where his priorities lie.
“I love him dearly. He’s going to sit at home and watch the game, and he’ll be just fine. … We understand the decision. We understand the repercussions of it. Yeah, it is what it is, but that’s my dad.”
Dwyane Wade Shows Love to Tyrese Haliburton
While the outside noise around Haliburton continues, so does the praise for his on-court leadership. Following his stellar playoff performance—averaging 18 points, 12 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game—Haliburton has earned a new fan in Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade.
On his Time Out with Dwyane Wade podcast, the three-time NBA champion slammed the notion that Tyrese Haliburton is “overrated”—a label placed on him by his peers in a recent anonymous poll by The Athletic.
“Wasn’t he No. 1 most overrated ranked by the players? When I looked at it, I said this is what’s wrong with our game,” Wade said. “If he’s not someone who can score 30 [points per game], you don’t look at him as an All-Star… But when you watch the Pacers, they go as he goes.”
The Pacers won three of four meetings against Cleveland during the regular season and are now just one step away from a potential Eastern Conference Finals rematch with the Boston Celtics.
With Tyrese Haliburton locked in, Indiana is showing the rest of the league they’re not just here for a good run—they’re here to contend.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
