Tyrese Haliburton's dad drops 'Dame Time' celebration as Pacers star drills clutch game-winner against Bucks

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton converted an improbable last-second four-point play to win Tuesday's home clash against the Milwaukee Bucks. Afterward, Haliburton and his father, John, mimicked Bucks star point guard Damian Lillard's iconic "Dame Time" celebration.

With Indiana trailing 114-111 and needing a 3-pointer to force overtime, Haliburton caught the ball off the inbounds and attempted a running corner triple. Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo tightly contested his shot and made contact, resulting in a foul call with 3.0 seconds remaining.

To the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd's apparent surprise and jubilation, Haliburton drained the 3 to tie the game as he tumbled to the floor. He then knocked down the go-ahead free throw to give the Pacers a 115-114 lead.

Antetokounmpo couldn't convert a running long-range shot on the other end, resulting in Indiana stunning Milwaukee.

Following the final buzzer, Haliburton appeared to utilize Lillard's Dame Time gesture despite the nine-time All-Star not getting a chance to counter his pivotal play.

Haliburton's father followed suit, imitating Lillard's renowned clutch shot celebration as he embraced his son on the baseline.

This isn't the first time Haliburton has deployed the Dame Time gesture. He also did so during the Pacers' 2023 NBA Cup semifinal win over the Bucks, with Lillard later calling it "a sign of respect."

Nevertheless, Haliburton's theatrics could add intrigue to a potential first-round playoff rematch between the sides. Indiana defeated a depleted Milwaukee squad 4-2 in last year's Round 1 series.

---

---

Tyrese Haliburton on Pacers snapping 3-game losing streak with miraculous win over Bucks

With Tuesday's nail-biting victory, Indiana (36-28) narrowly avoided a four-game losing streak. Meanwhile, it drew even with Milwaukee (36-28) in the Eastern Conference standings amid their battle for the fourth seed.

After the contest, Tyrese Haliburton was asked about his biggest takeaway. He underscored the Pacers' need to consistently play with more effort.

"I feel like the last three games, the little three-game skid that we went on, was just three games of teams playing harder than us," Haliburton said.

"I don't know if it was necessarily a conceptual thing or X's and O's. I think it was more of an effort thing, and that's unacceptable, especially in a time like right now when there are only so many games left that can really control seeding."

Indiana's next opportunity to gain ground in the East comes on Friday when it kicks off a three-game road trip against the Philadelphia 76ers (22-42).

---