Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is responding to the news that his father, John Haliburton, will not be permitted to attend games for the foreseeable future following his on-court altercation with Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“I understand the decision made by our organization and the league,” the point guard told the media, per reporter Tony East. “I've spoken on it many times that my father was in the wrong, but at the end of the day, it's my dad. So I'm not going to ridicule him by any means. I love him dearly. He's gonna sit at home and watch the games, and he'll be just fine.”

“This is just one thing, and we're not defined by one thing that happens in our life. Same thing, I'm not. We all make mistakes, and we move on.”

The incident, which made headlines in the aftermath of Haliburton's overtime heroics and Indiana's postseason series-clinching victory over the Bucks, occurred when John Haliburton waved a towel displaying his son's face in front of Antetokounmpo while gloating. The Greek Freak felt strongly about the man's actions, labeling them as “very disrespectful.”

Tyrese Haliburton voiced a similar sentiment, and his father issued an apology. The Pacers surely just want to put the whole situation behind them and invest all their time and energy into preparing for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Are the Pacers ready for the Cavs?

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Indy deserves credit for handling the Bucks, but Damian Lillard's brutal Achilles injury did remove much of the suspense from the opening-round matchup. The Cleveland Cavaliers have the depth to withstand some setbacks, as evidenced by the two shellackings they just dished out on the Miami Heat sans Darius Garland. The Pacers are in for a strenuous postseason exam.

If the team is going to survive it, Haliburton must maintain his knack for the big moment. He scored six clutch points to send Game 5 into overtime and then delivered an unforeseen knockout blow to Milwaukee, courtesy of two brilliant drives in the closing seconds.

If the 2023 All-NBA Third Team selection can keep his composure and trust the Pacers' fairly deep roster, then for the second straight year, this ride could continue longer than anyone expected.

John Haliburton will have to watch it all unfold from home, but he and his son will be in regular contact. “I'm sure I'll be getting texts at halftime and calls after the game,” a smiling Tyrese Haliburton said. “It is what it is.”

Game 1 of the conference semifinals takes place on Sunday in Rocket Arena.