'Disrespectful' dad criticised as Pacers beat Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo criticised Tyrese Haliburton's "disrespectful" father after the pair were involved in a heated exchange following the Indiana Pacers' series-clinching win.

The Pacers booked their spot in the NBA play-off semi-finals with a 119-118 win against the Bucks.

Haliburton hit the go-ahead lay-up with 1.3 seconds left on the clock as the Pacers sealed a 4-1 series win and following the buzzer supporters entered the court to celebrate.

Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA most valuable player, was approached by what he thought was a Pacers fan, who taunted him with a towel that had Haliburton's face on it.

The fan, it transpired, was Haliburton's father.

"I believe in being humble in victory," said Antetokounmpo.

"At that moment I thought it was a fan, but then I realised it was Tyrese's dad.

"I love Tyrese - he's a great competitor. His dad coming on the floor and showing me a towel with his [son's] face on it, [saying] 'This is what we do. We do this.' I feel like that's very, very disrespectful."

Haliburton, who says he was unaware of his father's actions at the time, has apologised to Antetokounmpo.

"I had no idea it happened until I got back to the locker room and they showed me the video of my pops," said Haliburton.

"We had a little talk about it. I don't agree with what transpired there.

"Basketball is basketball. Let's keep it on the court. I think he just got excited."

The defeat means the Bucks' hopes of a first Championship since 2021 are over.

They held a seven-point lead with 40 seconds remaining in game five but the Pacers forced two crucial turnovers in the final 17 seconds.

Haliburton's winning lay-up was the end of an uninterrupted eight-point run which swung the game in the Pacers' favour.

They will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the semi-finals.

Defending champions the Boston Celtics sealed a 4-1 series win with a comfortable 120-89 win against the Orlando Magic.

Jayson Tatum top scored with 35 points, as well as 10 assists and eight rebounds.

The game turned in the third quarter when Magic forward Paolo Banchero was forced to sit out following his fifth foul, when the Magic held a four-point lead.

"It definitely swung the series. It definitely swung the game," Mosley said.

"All I saw is Paolo getting an elbow to the face or back into the face, and he got the foul. That was a game-changer right there.

"Your best player picks up his fifth foul in the third quarter. It's tough to come back from that moment."

The Celtics will face either the New York Knicks or the Detroit Pistons in the next round.

The Pistons kept their play-off hopes alive with a 106-103 win in game five to trail 3-2 in their best-of-seven series.

Elsewhere, the Denver Nuggets took a 3-2 series lead with a 131-115 win over the LA Clippers in game five.

The winners of the tie will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.