Tyrese Haliburton is adding some more fuel to the silliest feud of the year.
Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers got into a hilariously petty beef with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of Wednesday’s game. Antetokounmpo scored a career-high (as well as a Bucks franchise record) 64 points to lead the Bucks to a 140-126 victory. But when Antetokounmpo attempted to locate the game ball after the final buzzer, it was nowhere to be found. That led to Antetokounmpo charging out of the locker room and angrily confronting several members of the Pacers (video here).
Amid accusations online that the Pacers walked off with Antetokounmpo’s historic game ball, Haliburton offered an apparent response in a post to his X page. He posted a meme photo of the phrase “The Cap On This App” (a play on Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat In the Hat”).
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) December 14, 2023
“Cap” is slang for a lie. Haliburton apparently felt that people were lying on the X app about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Haliburton is probably right since a video later emerged of a Bucks security guard securing the actual game ball right after the final buzzer. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle also said in his post-game press conference that his team had actually taken a reserve basketball instead (looking to commemorate the first career point that Indiana rookie Oscar Tshiebwe had scored that evening as well).
here’s the video. that this is all a complete misunderstanding is v funny. https://t.co/Zr1pl4YXbW pic.twitter.com/d7nuQ5rz5z
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 14, 2023
Nevertheless, the Bucks continued to push the narrative that the game ball was wrongfully taken from them. Antetokounmpo told reporters that he still wasn’t convinced that he had the actual game ball, and Milwaukee co-star Damian Lillard also expressed doubts of his own.
"I have a ball but I don't know if it's the game ball. It doesn't feel like the game ball to me."
Giannis not convinced he has the real game ball 🏀 pic.twitter.com/z5mc2tGx6H
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 14, 2023
Now at the postgame press conference, Dame is still of the belief that the Pacers took the game ball. pic.twitter.com/PIdy8j4yqT
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 14, 2023
What is certain though is that these two teams do not like each other. There were multiple physical moments and altercations during the contest, likely marking a boiling-over of tensions from their last meeting in the In-Season Tournament semifinal. Indiana defeated Milwaukee 128-119 in that contest, during which Haliburton notably mocked Lillard upon sealing the victory.
Fortunately for all beef lovers, the Pacers and Bucks will meet again for a pair of rubber matches in a few weeks. They get back-to-back home-and-home meetings on Jan. 1 and 3, and one can only guess how much pettier things will get then.
