Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton said on Tuesday a fan in Milwaukee directed a racial slur at his younger brother during the team’s playoff game against the Bucks.
Haliburton said the incident occurred in Game 1 of the teams’ playoff series. The Pacers, the lower seed, started the series off at the Fiserv Forum.
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Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, #0, warms up before game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on April 21, 2024. (Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)
“My little brother in the stands the other day was called an N-word,” he told reporters after Indiana’s 125-108 Game 2 win over Milwaukee. “It was important for us as a family to just address that. That was important for us to talk about because that didn’t sit right with anybody in our family. It’s just been important to have my family here right now, and my little brother’s handled that the right way”
The Bucks responded to Haliburton’s remarks.
“An arena guest services representative reported that during Sunday’s game a few guests were not sitting in their correct seats,” a team spokesman said. “The guest services representative asked the group to move one section over to their correct seats.
Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton reacts to his three pointer during the second half of Game 2 of the first round NBA playoff basketball series against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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“Then, one of the individuals in the group claimed to the representative that a person sitting in front of him had used a derogatory term toward him. The accused person denied the accusation. The group moved to their correct seats and no further incident was reported.
“We take our fan environment extremely seriously and are committed to providing a safe and secure experience.”
Milwaukee Bucks’ Patrick Beverley, left, gets past Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA playoff basketball game on Sunday, April 21, 2024 in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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The series is tied 1-1 after Tuesday night’s game. Game 3 is set for Indianapolis on Friday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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