INDIANAPOLIS — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo got into a heated confrontation with the father of Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton following Game 5 of their first-round playoff series, spurred by what Antetokounmpo called a “disrespectful” exchange on the floor.
The Pacers were celebrating Haliburton’s go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds left in overtime that gave them a series-clinching 119-118 victory Tuesday night. According to Antetokounmpo, Haliburton’s father, John, walked toward the Bucks star waving a flag and swearing at him.
“I believe in being humble in victory,” Antetokounmpo said after the game, which ended Milwaukee’s season. “A lot of people out there that are like, no, when you win the game, you talk s— and it’s a green light for you to be disrespectful towards somebody else. I disagree.”
Antetokounmpo posted a 30-point, 20-rebound and 13-assist triple-double, but Indiana forced two turnovers in the final 29 seconds of overtime, and Haliburton blew past Antetokounmpo for a layup to close an 8-0 run and steal one from the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo lingered after the sudden defeat, which is when John Haliburton ran onto the court and started talking to him. The two were face-to-face before they were pulled away by Bucks players and team security.
“Losing the game, emotions run high,” Antetokounmpo said. “Having a fan — which at the moment I thought it was a fan, but then I realized it was Tyrese’s dad. Which I love Tyrese — I think he’s a great competitor.
“His dad coming on the floor and showing me his son — a towel with his face on (it), (saying) ‘This is what we do. We do this.’ I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.”
Antetokounmpo said he talked with John Haliburton after the skirmish and that “we’re in a good place.”
Tyrese Haliburton said he didn’t know what happened until he got back to the locker room, but he agreed that his father was out of line and said he had a conversation with him as well.
“I don’t agree with what transpired there from him,” Haliburton said. “Basketball is basketball and let’s keep it on the court. I think he just got excited, saw his son make a game winner and came on the court, but we had a conversation.
“He needs to just allow me to play basketball and stay over there and I’ll come to him to celebrate. But the emotions of the game got excited there. I talked with him. I’ll talk with Giannis. I don’t think my pops was in the right at all there.”
It was the second skirmish Antetokounmpo had to be pulled apart from in the aftermath of Game 5. He exchanged words with Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin as the two shared an embrace, during which Antetokounmpo put his hand around Mathurin’s neck, causing the Pacers guard to push him away before they also had to be separated by teammates.
“This series was a lot of war of words,” Haliburton said. “A war of antics. A lot of personal stuff going on. That’s just part of this rivalry and what we’ve built here over the past couple years.”
