The ongoing rivalry between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers continued to simmer long after their intense second-round playoff battle last month.
On Thursday, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton took to Instagram to reflect on his fourth season in the NBA and his second full season with Indiana, a journey that began with a trade from the Sacramento Kings in 2022.
Haliburton captioned his post, “End of chapter 4,” sharing a series of pictures highlighting various moments from the season, including his eclectic pregame outfits.
The post didn’t go unnoticed by Knicks guard Josh Hart, who seized the opportunity to stir the pot. Hart commented on Haliburton’s fashion choices throughout the season, quipping, “Started and ended with trash fits.” The comment, however, was swiftly deleted, but not before it caught the attention of fans and Haliburton himself.
Haliburton responded with a playful jab, referencing Hart’s stint as a host on ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage, saying, “You became an analyst after you played us.” Hart retorted, “And somehow we both won the same amount of games,” suggesting that despite their playoff exit, both teams ended their seasons without a championship. The exchange seemed to end there, but it underscored the competitive tension still lingering between the players.
RELATED: Charles Oakley is Once Again Involved in a Public Spat With the New York Knicks
The Knicks and Pacers faced off in a dramatic playoff series that culminated in a decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on May 19.
The game ended with the Pacers handing the Knicks a devastating 130-109 defeat.
Throughout the series, Haliburton emerged as a particularly provocative figure for New York fans, averaging 21.3 points and seven assists, and shooting an impressive 53.8 percent from the field.
His interactions with the Knicks fans were notably intense, especially during Game 7 when he scored a game-high 16 points in the first half and was seen engaging with the crowd in a rather taunting manner. ESPN cameras captured him shouting, “You like that s–t,” at the fans, a moment that only fueled the fiery atmosphere.
However, Haliburton’s momentum was hampered by a sore left hamstring, which affected his performance against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, a series that saw Boston moving one game away from clinching an NBA title against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Knicks and Pacers have long been fierce conference rivals, with a history rich in heated moments and dramatic encounters.
This season was no exception, marked by hard fouls, strategic gamesmanship, and memorable exchanges both on and off the court.
An illustrative moment of the deep-rooted rivalry came when Haliburton donned a hoodie featuring Reggie Miller’s infamous choke pose after Game 7, echoing a historical feud that once saw Spike Lee and Reggie Miller exchanging barbs decades earlier.
This gesture by Haliburton was a nod to that history and a signal that the competitive spirit between these two teams is alive and well.
