Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton was so enthusiastic about Indiana’s inconceivable time beyond regulation rally that he did not notice what led to the postgame scuffle between his teammates and the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night time.
Then he received to the locker room, watched the replay and winced when he noticed his father, John, on the courtroom, confronting two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“I had no thought it occurred till I received again to the locker room and so they confirmed me the video of my pops,” the two-time All-Star stated after he made the decisive layup with 1.3 seconds left to give Indiana a 119-118 victory and a 4-1 collection win.
“We had just a little discuss it. I do not agree with what transpired there. I believe basketball is basketball and let’s maintain it on the courtroom. I believe he simply received excited.”
Antetokounmpo wasn’t happy, both, after his group blew a seven-point lead within the closing 40 seconds of time beyond regulation, sending the Bucks to their third straight first-round exit. The 2-time MVP did not acknowledge John Haliburton, considering he was simply one other fan who had run onto the courtroom.
Antetokounmpo stated he likes Haliburton, calling him an amazing competitor, however he stated John Haliburton displaying a towel together with his son’s picture whereas yelling “that is what we (expletive) do” was flawed.
“I really feel like that’s very, very disrespectful,” stated Antetokounmpo, who completed with 30 factors, 20 rebounds and 13 assists.
Haliburton appeared genuinely upset in regards to the incident, promising to succeed in out to Antetokounmpo earlier than the groups play once more.
“I’ll discuss to Giannis about it will definitely,” stated Haliburton, who grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. “I don’t assume my pops was in the best in any respect there. It’s unlucky what occurred on the finish there.
“It’s unlucky what occurred there (the scuffle), however I believe it’s simply competitors,” he added. “So far as my pops, I don’t agree with what occurred there. We’ll have a dialog.”
Antetokounmpo instructed a narrative in regards to the Bucks’ 2020-21 championship season, when his mom attended each sport from mid-February via the title run. The Greek famous person stated his mother wasn’t even positive whether or not she might come onto the courtroom to hug him on the finish of the ultimate sport and famous that his members of the family usually do not sit courtside.
The Pacers and Bucks have met 20 occasions over the previous two seasons, with the Pacers successful eight of 11 playoff video games and each postseason collection in an more and more heated rivalry.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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