Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton will be facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs on Sunday, but his father, John Haliburton, will not be in attendance. According to a spokesperson speaking to ESPN’s Shams Charania, John Haliburton will not be present at any of the team’s games, home or away, “for the foreseeable future.” This decision stems from a confrontation between John Haliburton and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo following the Pacers’ series-clinching victory on Tuesday.
Per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star, there is uncertainty surrounding when John Haliburton may return to the sidelines. While he could potentially be absent for the remainder of the playoffs, his status after the postseason has not been determined.
Tyrese Haliburton secured the win for the Pacers on Tuesday with a game-winning shot over Antetokounmpo in overtime. Tensions escalated on the court, leading to a heated exchange between Antetokounmpo and John Haliburton. The two exchanged words before being separated.
Antetokounmpo addressed the incident during a postgame press conference, expressing his disappointment with the confrontation. He explained that he mistook John Haliburton for a fan initially.
“Having somebody’s dad — and I’m happy for him and I’m happy for his son, that’s how he’s supposed to feel — but coming to me and disrespecting me and cursing at me is totally unacceptable,” Antetokounmpo stated.
Tyrese Haliburton also commented on the altercation, stating that he did not condone his father’s actions. He mentioned that he planned to discuss the incident with Antetokounmpo in the future.
“I don’t think my pops was in the right at all there,” Tyrese Haliburton said. John Haliburton later issued an apology for his behavior.