On January 16, the Pistons played the Pacers at home. There was a lot of trash talk and head-butting happening throughout the game. The Pacers ended up winning 111-100 and it left a bitter taste in Tim Hardaway’s mouth which he now wants to get rid of.
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Hardaway has had enough of Tyrese Haliburton’s trash talks. During a recent appearance on Gil’s Arena, the Hall of Famer talked about how he’s tired of Haliburton’s trash-talking ways and is now considering taking matters into his own hands.
He said that if he were to wear an NBA jersey again and step on the floor, it would be with the sole purpose of humbling Haliburton. It’s worth noting that Hardaway’s son Tim Hardaway Jr. plays for the Pistons and was involved in the trash talk and eventual loss of his team. So, in a way, this is more than just about Haliburton’s trash talks.
Pascal Siakam started talking at the end of the game. I think it’s safe to say both of teams don’t like each other. pic.twitter.com/tveUyx0W12
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) January 17, 2025
The 58-year-old said, “I wanna f**k up Haliburton. I wanna go f**k him up. He talks so much sh*t. I wanna go back and bust his mother***in a**.” Hardaway wants to expose the Pacers star because “he thinks he’s all that.” But as per the Hall of Famer, he doesn’t know what it’s like to have a true rival in the league.
Earlier on the podcast, he talked about how the new generation of players are soft and there’s no real rivalry in the league. Back in the day, when teams or players didn’t like one another, they showcased the same at every opportunity. Now, even when players hate each other, they’re seen shaking hands and hugging each other after games.
Haliburton ignored Hardaway while discussing altercations
Haliburton said that after the Pistons beat them in the NBA Cup group-stage matchup, they were hyped. That’s when the idea of a rivalry started forming between the two teams. However, as per the Pacers star, two teams can’t be rivals until they have faced each other in the playoffs.
In this season so far, the Pacers have played four games against the Pistons and have won three of them. So, there’s a long way to go for the Detroit franchise before they start getting looked at as equals. Regardless, Haliburton applauded the efforts being made by players to turn the franchise’s fate around.
He said, “Don’t get me wrong, they’re a good team. I’ve got a lot of respect for the way that they’ve battled and are turning that organization around slowly with all the young guys. For the most part, it’s just hoop. Some words are thrown out there that got no business being thrown out there, but it is what it is.”
The two teams have not played each other in the playoffs since 2005. So, Haliburton will continue to wait for the Pistons to show up in a more competitive environment and then he’ll decide if it’s a rivalry or not.
