LAS VEGAS — Tyrese Haliburton knows what time it is.
It was Haliburton's 27 points and 15 assists with zero turnovers that helped the Indiana Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-119 on Thursday night, sending Indy to the finals of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament.
And to cap it all off, Haliburton took a page out of Bucks star Damian Lillard's celebratory playbook.
"I know what time it is," he yelled after draining a 3-pointer with less than a minute to play in the game. It was a pointed reference to Lillard's "Dame Time" celebration, holding out his arm and looking at his wrist while donning an imaginary watch.
"I learned as a kid: when you dish it up you gotta be willing to take it. For as many times as I've done it to people, I can't be upset when somebody else does it," Lillard said after the game. "I think that's also a sign of respect and acknowledgment for knowing my history and knowing what I do. I didn't mind it."
The former Iowa State guard — drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2020 before being traded to the Pacers in 2022 — is averaging 26.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 12.1 assists per game this season. He is the league leader in assists and is shooting 44.1% from 3-point range.
Haliburton signed a five-year, $205.9 million contract extension in July. He was a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2021.
The Pacers (12-8) face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers (14-9) in the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday on ABC.