A Thrilling NBA Playoffs Night: Pacers Advance, Celtics Seal Series Win - And a Dad Steals the (Unexpected) Spotlight
- Coverage by AFP, Los Angeles
Haliburton propels Pacers into second round victory
The Eastern Conference playoffs heating up, the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics booked their spots in the second round on Tuesday, while Detroit Pistons kept their post-season hopes intact after beating New York Knicks.
In perhaps the most dramatic episode of the night, the Pacers rallied from a 20-point deficit and fought tooth and nail in overtime to oust the Milwaukee Bucks 119-118, securing a 4-1 series victory.
The reigning NBA champs, the Celtics, made short work of the Orlando Magic, clinching the series with a 120-89 victory.
The Knicks, who had a 3-1 lead over the Detroit Pistons, missed their chance to join the Boston and Indiana teams in the second round after losing 106-103 in a nail-biter at Madison Square Garden.
Another thriller unfolded in the tense series between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers, with the Nuggets edging ahead 3-2 after a 131-115 win in Colorado, thanks in part to a 43-point showstopper from Jamal Murray.
The nail-biting finish of the Indiana-Milwaukee game introduced an unexpected twist, as Tyrese Haliburton's father, John Haliburton, found himself at the center of a post-game fracas on the court[1][2].
Despite the controversy, the Pacers progress to an Eastern Conference semi-final series with top seeds the Cleveland Cavaliers, having staged an extraordinary overtime comeback[2].
Down 118-111 with just 40 seconds remaining, the Pacers miraculously conjured an 8-0 run, capped off by Tyrese Haliburton's driving layup, sealing victory with 1.3 seconds left on the clock. The pivotal moment came when Gary Trent Jr, the Bucks' guard, fumbled a pass, setting up Haliburton's game-winning layup[2].
A jubilant Pacers coach Rick Carlisle assessed the match as a battle of sheer determination, stating, "Both teams left everything on the court, but fortune favors the bold - and our guys were bold in the last three quarters[2]."
When asked about his team's performance after they trailed by 20 points early on, Carlisle replied, "Hit somebody."
In the aftermath of the game, Tyrese Haliburton seemed oblivious to the post-game scuffle between his teammates and the Bucks. When presented with the video evidence, he said he had "no idea" what had happened until he saw the footage in the locker room[3].
Feeling embarrassed and remorseful, John Haliburton then addressed the incident on Twitter, acknowledging that his actions were not representative of his son or the sport.
Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished the game with 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists, described the encounter with Haliburton Sr as "very disrespectful."
Despite the drama, Tyrese Haliburton expressed a regretful apology to Antetokounmpo and expressed that he would reach out to him to discuss the matter further[3].
[1] [https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-indiana-pacers-milwaukee-bucks-tyrese-haliburton-giannis-antetokounmpo-5ce203f65dc2c7c6a9c48c1d437d7c1d]
[2] [https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/boston-celtics/tyrese-haliburtons-heroics-send-pacers-onto-next-round-celtics-overwhelm-magic-in-game-6-clinch]
[3] [https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34950035/tyrese-haliburton-father-apologize-court-storming-antetokounmpo-tangles]
[4] [https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/tyrese-haliburtons-father-john-storms-court-giannis-antetokounmpo-amid-bucks-pacers-playoffs-fight/1lgs882f7irk11elljq4a5jb7]
[5] [https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/tyrese-haliburtons-father-apologizes-for-storming-court-after-pacers-eliminate-bucks/#:~:text=Pacers%20guard%20Tyrese%20Haliburton%27s%20father,fold%20into%20the%20dominant%20Clippers]
- Tyrese Haliburton's father, John Haliburton, found himself at the center of a post-game fracas on the court, which resulted in an unexpected twist following the Indiana Pacers' dramatic 119-118 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
- In a surprising continuation, John Haliburton expressed regret and apologized for his actions on Twitter, acknowledging that they were not representative of his son or the sport.
- Despite his involvement in the incident, Tyrese Haliburton managed to remain unaffected during interviews, seeming unaware of the post-game scuffle between his teammates and the Bucks.
- The MVP candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished the game with 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists, expressed his disdain for the encounter with Haliburton Sr, describing it as "very disrespectful."
