Tyrese Haliburton’s Dad Cheers Pacers’ Win Over Knicks With ‘Choke’ Celebration Amid Charles Barkley’s Plea to Adam Silver to Revoke His Ban

Prateek Singh | 22/05/2025
(R) Tyrese Haliburton's father John Haliburton (R) Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton is in the form of his life. His 2025 post-season has been memorable enough so far, as it is, and things are only getting spicier. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, he came up huge yet again.

Haliburton knocked down a game-tying bucket in the dying seconds of regulation to take the Indiana Pacers to overtime — and eventually, a three-point win. And he did it at Madison Square Garden, packed with Knicks fans who were stunned into silence.

The highlight moment of the game was the clutch shot that sent the game to OT. After it, Haliburton did the Reggie Miller choke pose. The win was the icing on the cake. Shortly after, Charles Barkley and Draymond Green made a plea to Commissioner Adam Silver on Inside the NBA.

“I want to reach out to Adam Silver tomorrow. Me and Draymond were talking, it’s time to let Mr. Haliburton [Tyrese’s father, John] back in the building,” Barkley said.

The Pacers guard’s dad has been banned from games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for confronting Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 5 of the series against the Milwaukee Bucks. The incident, which became viral and a topic of debate in the NBA, saw John storm onto the court before standing in front of Giannis rather provocatively.

John was seen holding his son’s towel in his hands and was allegedly yelling, “This is what the f*ck we do.”

The actions were heavily criticized, and even Tyrese had to apologize on behalf of his father. But now that Haliburton Jr. is making waves in the ECF, Barkley believes John should be allowed to experience this memorable run.

Barkley admitted that what John did was “stupid”, but pointed out that he’s already been punished for it. That’s why he wants him back in the stands for Games 3 and 4 in Indiana.

However, the ban seems to have had little to no effect on John or his questionable enthusiasm. He remains determined to support his son and the team in his own way.

After the Pacers’ win against the Knicks, a video surfaced online showing John doing the same choke pose inside what appears to be a sports bar. He was also seen dancing and celebrating the win with the same towel that he used to taunt Giannis.

With the series heating up and Haliburton emerging as a true playoff star, this might be the moment for forgiveness. Allowing John back into the arena wouldn’t just be a kind gesture — it could add even more energy to an already electric series.

After all, few people are as emotionally invested in the Pacers’ success as he is. That said, swinging a towel in the face of someone like Jalen Brunson probably won’t win over those advocating for his courtside return.

Post Edited By: Karthik Raman
Charles Barkley 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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