At Madison Square Garden, Tyrese Haliburton got into a heated argument with a spectator, and the New York Knicks were caught in the middle. Haliburton was the liveliest he’s ever been in Game 7, especially when he was joking about with a Knicks fan seated courtside. The Indiana Pacers All-Star cited his game-winning performance during the post-game press conference as a result of his ongoing banter with the fan.
The Knicks just gon let Tyrese Haliburton talk to them like this on their home floor 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/15rLsSFOdl
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) May 19, 2024
Tyrese Halliburton is not the type of player to become agitated following his interactions with fans because he is known to be a composed man. The guard, who prefers to pass, nevertheless, made the extra effort to look for inspiration in order to secure a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals. Haliburton said,
“He was just talking before the game… I knew I was going to have to pick somebody today to get me going and it happened to be him. Just got me going in the first quarter, just continued on. But I think that’s the game within the game,”
Tyrese Haliburton on the Knicks fan courtside chirping at him today during Game 7: “I knew I was going to have to pick somebody today to get me going” pic.twitter.com/0eX9aQJLzW
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 19, 2024
From the start, trash-talking appeared to bring out the best in Haliburton. According to NBA.com, he made four three-pointers on 80% three-point shooting in the first quarter, accounting for 14 of his 26 points.
The Indiana Pacers continued to push hard even after OG Anunoby suffered an injury and they had a 15-point advantage at the half, leaving no room for a comeback. After relentlessly going after the thin-handed Knicks in the paint, Rick Carlisle’s team won by a score of 130-109.
Tyrese Haliburton’s post-game attire also caused a stir on social media. The 2023–2024 Assist Leader arrived at the press conference sporting a hoodie featuring Reggie Miller’s famous “choke,” which was aimed at Spike Lee, following the series victory 4–3.
