‘Embarrassing,’ ‘We Almost Back’ — NBA World Reacts to Tyrese Haliburton’s Preseason Trash Talk During Pacers-Bucks
· Yahoo Sports
Tyrese Haliburton wasted little time making his presence felt against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The Indiana Pacers guard got into a heated exchange with Bucks guard Ryan Rollins, drawing technical fouls for both players.
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The confrontation quickly caught fans’ attention, with some users claiming this was another chapter being added to the rivalry between the teams.
Fans React to Tyrese Haliburton and Ryan Rollins’ Exchange During Pacers-Bucks Game
The incident happened just 75 seconds into the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With Milwaukee leading 5-2, Haliburton and Rollins got tangled up fighting for a rebound. Rollins shoved Haliburton from behind, and the Pacers guard confronted him after getting up.
The broadcast picked up Haliburton repeatedly telling Rollins:
“You a (expletive).”
Officials separated the players, calling a loose-ball foul on Rollins and giving both guards technical fouls. On Indiana’s next possession, Haliburton knocked down a 3-pointer over the Bucks defense.
Friday’s viral moment was another reminder that the tension between the two teams hasn’t disappeared in the preseason. Haliburton has traded words with opposing players and fans during Indiana’s recent playoff runs, so the confrontation wasn’t entirely out of character.
Fans had plenty to say, with some backing Haliburton and others criticizing his behavior.
“I will forever ride with this guy,” Tyler Brooke wrote.
The exchange also brought up the rivalry between Indiana and Milwaukee.
“Ryan keeping the Pacers Bucks rivalry alive lol,” Halimuse commented.
Others were less impressed, as one Bucks fan account remarked: “‘You a (expletive).’ Tyrese says standing behind two seven-footers.”
“What a douchebag. It’s embarrassing that he’s from Wisconsin,” SI sports writer Christian Borman remarked.
Not every reaction focused on the confrontation, as one user was optimistic about Haliburton’s aggression and posted: “We almost back.”
With the regular season still days away, the preseason confrontation was another highlight in a matchup with a storied history.
In December 2023, Haliburton mocked Damian Lillard’s “Dame Time” celebration after hitting a clutch three to eliminate Milwaukee from the NBA In-Season Tournament. The tension carried into the 2024 and 2025 playoffs, when Indiana eliminated Milwaukee in consecutive first-round series.
After the Pacers clinched their 2025 series with a dramatic 119-118 win in Game 5, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a heated exchange with Haliburton’s father, John, who had walked onto the court to mock the Greek Freak after the final buzzer.
Meanwhile, as far as the upcoming season is concerned, Haliburton made his third preseason appearance after missing around 16 months with a torn Achilles tendon suffered during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The two-time All-Star finished the preseason matchup with 17 points and 6 assists in 20 minutes and will hope to remain healthy as Indiana begins its regular season campaign on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.