"Shame on the NBA for allowing this" - NBA fans erupt as Tyrese Haliburton avoids fine over NSFW celebration after game winner

Indiana Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton made headlines when he drained a game-winning 3-pointer on Tuesday. Aside from bringing his team up 2-0 following his clutch basket, it also caught attention for how Haliburton celebrated after hitting it.

He held his hands in front of his crotch and made a gesture suggesting he had a rather large appendage. His NSFW gesture has been noticed and he's been warned by the league for it, but he will not receive a fine.

Expand Tweet

Some fans disagree with the league's decision not to fine the Pacers' All-Star.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

"My son saw this and burst into tears. Shame on the NBA for allowing this to be shown on my screen!" One person said.

Expand Tweet

"Thought that was an auto-fine," another person said.

"Fred VanVleet may want his $15k back," one person tweeted.

On the other hand, some fans agree with the decision not to fine Haliburton.

"Shot was so good, they had to let this slide," one person commented.

"Lol s/o Adam (Silver) for a change," one fan said.

"First NBA W in a while," one person chimed in.

Expand Tweet

Tyrese Haliburton's game-winning 3-pointer capped a strong Pacers comeback to overcome a 20-point deficit. At 0:28 in the third quarter, Indiana trailed 116-119 but Andrew Nembhard's forcing of a turnover on a Max Strus inbound pass led to Haliburton's clutch sequence and his team's victory.

Also read: Triple H shares two-word reaction celebrating Tyrese Haliburton's clutch heroics earning Pacers 2-0 advantage

Tyrese Haliburton mentioned that he was ready to pay the fine for his celly

Tyrese Haliburton recognized that his celebration might earn him a sanction from the league. After all, players who have made NSFW or explicit gestures have been fined.

In the press conference, he shared that he was overcome by emotion and that he would gladly open his checkbook to pay any fine.

"I've been waiting for that," Haliburton said to the media. "It was just right in the moment. I'll take that fine."

For now, Tyrese Haliburton won't have to worry about paying the fine and can focus on Game 3 between the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. The landscape now shifts completely, with the Pacers having home-court advantage for the next two games.

Aside from no longer having home-court advantage, Cleveland has some injuries to deal with. DeAndre Hunter (thumb), All-Star Darius Garland (toe) and 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley (ankle) are all listed as questionable.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

Know More

Pacers Fan? Check out the latest Indiana Pacers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Edited by William Paul