Tyrese Haliburton waited eight games to have his father back in the building.
He made sure it was worth every second.
In front of a raucous, gold-clad Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd — one that included Pacers alumni Jermaine O’Neal and Lance Stephenson, WWE legend Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and most importantly his father John — Haliburton delivered the best game of his playoff career to push Indiana on the brink of the NBA Finals.
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 28, 2025
“I’m glad Pop’s in the building. It makes it that much sweeter, ” Haliburton said after his historic triple-double lifted Indiana to a 130-121 victory against the Knicks in Game 4 for a commanding 3-1 East Finals series lead.
[ALSO READ: Haliburton outduels Brunson as Pacers push Knicks to brink, move closer to NBA Finals]
It was the first time that the older Haliburton was allowed to attend a game since his courtside altercation with Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Bucks-Pacers series, which got him barred from Indiana’s playoff home games.
Tyrese Haliburton's dad, John is back in the building for Game 4 of Pacers-Knicks in Indy 🙌
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 28, 2025
(📸: @AP_Images)
This time, he watched from a suite — and witnessed something unforgettable.
His son tallied 32 points, 15 assists, and a career-high 12 rebounds, becoming the first player in NBA history to post a 30-point, 15-assist, 10-rebound playoff triple-double without a single turnover.
Coming off a Game 3 collapse in which Indiana squandered a 20-point lead, the Pacers responded emphatically — thanks largely to their All-Star point guard.
“I wanted to prove I could respond when my back is against the wall, my team’s back is against the wall,” Haliburton told reporters in the post-game press conference.
He continued: “I feel like we responded the right way.”
Did they ever.
Haliburton's fingerprints were all over the game from the jump as the Pacers dropped 43 points in a blistering first quarter, shooting over 70% at one point.
He became just the second player after LeBron James in the play-by-play era (1997-1998 season) to post at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a playoff quarter.
HISTORY FOR HALIBURTON IN THE 1Q 🤩
— NBA (@NBA) May 28, 2025
He's the 2nd player in the play-by-play era (1998) to have 15+ PTS, 5+ REB, & 5+ AST in a single playoff quarter!
The other?
LeBron James 👑🤯
By halftime, Haliburton joined Russell Westbrook as the only players to tally at least 20 markers, 10 dimes, and five rebounds in a single half of a postseason game.
The ONLY players to record 20+ PTS, 10+ AST, & 5+ REB in a single half in the playoffs (since 1998):
— NBA (@NBA) May 28, 2025
?? Russell Westbrook
?? Tyrese Haliburton, tonight
ELITE. COMPANY. 👏👏 https://t.co/8qBeHADyQ6
“He was really throwing the ball here, which was really important for us,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said.
“To not have any turnovers in those situations is really important. … There will be a statistical category perhaps named after him somewhere down the line,” he continued.
Pascal Siakam added 30 points while Bennedict Mathurin contributed 20 off the bench as five Pacers scored in double figures. Indiana shot 51% from the field and knocked down 40% from beyond the arc.
“I’m just trying to play the right way, man. We’re building something special here, ” Haliburton said.
"I'm just trying to play the right way. I just want to impact winning."
— NBA (@NBA) May 28, 2025
Tyrese Haliburton reacts to his all-time stat line and his focus as the @Pacers sit one win away from the Finals 💯😤 https://t.co/Kifz36pPEz
Now, the Pacers head to Madison Square Garden with a chance to close out the series in Game 5 on Friday (PH time), May 30.
One more win, and Indiana will be back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 — led by their homegrown star who shined brightest with his father watching from above the court.
“For me, it’s just about winning,” Haliburton insisted.
And for one night, he won everything — the game, the moment, and the life-long memory.
