"He was not in jail" - Tyrese Haliburton makes feelings clear on "Free Pops" outcry on social media for his dad John Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers took down the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals to move just one win away from an NBA Finals appearance.

As they go nearer to a Finals ticket, Haliburton’s father John was reinstated inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday, marking his return to Indiana’s home floor since the end of the first round.

Fresh from an excellent performance in Game 4, Haliburton addressed the “Free Pops” outcry, saying that his father is at home just relaxing while watching the playoffs, where his son has been the driving force behind the Pacers’ improbable run so far.

“I know we're saying ‘Free Pops’ and he is free, but he was not in jail. He happened to be in a very beautiful home sitting very pretty watching NBA basketball… He is just fine,” Haliburton said.

John Haliburton, who was in a suite for Game 4, was banned following a run-in with Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo in round one of the playoffs, in which the Pacers defeated the Bucks in five games.

He was subsequently absent for eight games, five from the second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the first three games of the East finals. Yet, the Pacers continued their playoff rampage, now within one game of a first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.

While his father was watching on, Tyrese Haliburton made history in Game 4, scoring 32 points, 12 rebounds and 15 assists to put away the Knicks and become the first player since 1978 to put up such numbers in a playoff game.

Tyrese Haliburton has a chip on his shoulder in Game 4 against Knicks

The Pacers won the first two games of the East finals in New York but lost in Game 3 in Indiana after leading by as much as 20 points. With the team’s circumstances and potential implications of a loss in Game 4, Haliburton and Co. proved they can respond to a loss.

“I'll look at that later and reflect on that at a different time," Haliburton said after Game 4 via ESPN.com. "For me, it's just about winning… I wanted to prove I could respond when my back is against the wall, my team's back is against the wall. I feel like we responded the right way."

The series moves back to New York for Game 5. A win at Madison Square Garden on Thursday would punch the Pacers’ ticket to the Finals, while a loss would mean a Game 6 back in Indiana.