On Wednesday, John Halliburton had a little fun at his own expense, but it wasn’t due to anything happening on the court.
His son, Pacers star Tyrese Halliburton, humorously critiqued his father’s choice of attire before Game 3 of the NBA Finals. A clip that went viral shows Tyrese teasing John about his jeans while warming up before the game.
“You’re out of your pocket because of those jeans,” Tyrese joked, giving his dad a lighthearted jab.
John, smiling at the joke, seemed to take it all in good spirit, even giving Tyrese a friendly pat on the chest.
It wasn’t quite clear what sparked Tyrese’s playful insult about his father’s fashion choice, but John appeared to be in good spirits, especially as he returned to courtside for the first time to watch his son face off against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo during Game 5.
His seat was situated behind the ESPN cameraman, right by one of the baskets.
John had been on the sidelines, away from his usual courtside spots, during earlier rounds of the playoffs until the fourth game of the Eastern Conference Finals with the Knicks.
Tyrese seemed to enjoy the banter while reflecting on Indiana’s 130-121 win and his father’s presence at Gainbridge Field House. “People were joking about ‘free pop,’ but he’s not in prison,” he remarked to reporters. “He has a lovely home and enjoys watching basketball. He was totally fine. I just wanted the win.”
John Halliburton has, in a way, become a bit of a local hero for Pacers fans. A local TV reporter shared a post, saying, “John Halliburton’s biggest fan is from Taiwan!”
With this victory, the Pacers now hold a 2-1 lead in the series.
