“Dame Can Beat Up Tyrese Haliburton With A Bad Calf”: Damian Lillard’s Former Teammate Reacts To Bucks-Pacers Stars’ Scuffle

Prateek Singh | 20/04/2025
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Damian Lillard wasn’t in uniform in Game 1 against the Pacers, but he still made headlines. Dame has a long history with the Indiana franchise, and under the immense pressure of the first playoff game, it came to its boiling point. The Bucks star got into a heated exchange with Tyrese Haliburton in the closing minutes of the game.

Their exchange happened during a timeout when there was 1:34 left in the game. By that time, it was clear that the Pacers were going to win Game 1. They ended up closing the game 117-98.

However, Dame had a bone to pick with Haliburton before the final buzzer. He was seen jawing at the Pacers star, reportedly saying things like, “You gon’ see,” and “I gotta beat your a**.” Haliburton was also saying something back to Dame, but the cameras didn’t catch his side of the interaction.

Following their war of words, Dame’s former teammate Evan Turner took to X to warn Haliburton and the Pacers. He wrote, “Indy, Dame can beat up Tyrese with a bad calf. Don’t @ me.” Dame is usually a calm individual and likes to let his game do the talking.

However, when push comes to shove in a situation like this, he doesn’t hold himself back.

Dame knows that once he steps on the floor, he can turn things around for his team, especially against the Pacers. Last season, he averaged 31.3 points per game against them in the playoff series. As for his individual rivalry against Haliburton, Dame has previously stated that he respects his drive for the game.

When Haliburton hit the ‘Dame Time’ celly during an in-season game against the Bucks, Dame said, “For as many times as I’ve done it to people, I can’t be upset when somebody else does it. I think that’s also a sign of respect and acknowledgment for knowing my history, knowing what I do.”

However, he didn’t want Haliburton to get carried away with emotions.

“I’ve also known that when you’re having your moment, it’s important to be careful and be humble… because you just never know how the table turns and it when it’s gonna turn,” he warned the Pacers star.

Dame has been out since mid-March due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. However, he is no longer taking blood-thinning medication, which is a positive sign for the franchise.

He is still nursing himself back to health, which is why he missed Game 1, but he is expected to come back in Game 2 or Game 3. With the duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in action, the Bucks might be able to turn things around later in the series.

Post Edited By: Sameen Nawathe
Damian Lillard Tyrese Haliburton

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Prateek Singh

Prateek is a Senior NBA Writer for The SportsRush. He has over 900 published articles under his name. Prateek merged his passion for writing and his love for the sport of basketball to make a career out of it. Other than basketball, he is also an ardent follower of the UFC and soccer. Apart from the world of sports, he has followed hip-hop religiously and often writes about the origins, evolution, and the biggest stars of the music genre.

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