The New York Knicks and their fanbase won’t be happy about Tyrese Haliburton‘s latest comments ahead of the 2026 NBA Finals.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Haliburton seemingly took a shot at Knicks fans, especially the celebrity row, for not being loud enough inside Madison Square Garden.
And if the Oklahoma City Thunder ends up facing the Knicks in the NBA Finals, Haliburton believes that Paycom Center is louder than MSG.
“I think OKC does a great job of having like a college environment in there,” Haliburton said. “It’s pretty ridiculously loud, so I would say it’s the best environment.”
The Indiana Pacers star guard praised Knicks fans for being passionate, but Thunder fans are louder.
“New York has a lot of passionate fans, and a lot of people love the Knicks,” Haliburton added, via ClutchPoints. “But there’s a lot of celebrity fans in there, and sometimes they’re too cool to get super loud. Whereas OKC gets loud, I don’t know if it’s as loud as OKC.”
Haliburton was a nightmare for Knicks fans last year, preventing them from reaching the NBA Finals. He missed the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles tendon suffered at last year’s NBA Finals against the Thunder.
Pacers-Knicks What If
GettyTyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers blocks a shot attempt by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks in the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In a lengthy column by Sports Illustrated’s Alex Golden, he looked and analyzed a scenario wherein the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks faced off in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.
It’s a rematch of last year’s series, with the Knicks looking for revenge against the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton would be healthy in the scenario, with the Pacers front office also making the Ivica Zubac trade.
Golden predicted that the series would have went at least six games, with the Pacers coming out on top.
“I think this series would go at minimum six games, but most likely seven,” Golden wrote. “The Knicks are better than they were the previous two postseasons, but it’s hard to imagine that Indiana wouldn’t be able to give New York fits that their three playoff opponents this run couldn’t.”
The writer added, “Indiana would appear in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history in back-to-back season…if they had been healthy for the 2026 playoffs.”
The Pacers would be primed for another run next season, especially with Haliburton back and healthy. They have some work to do this summer in terms of roster construction, but it’s going to be an interesting offseason in Indiana.
Tyrese Haliburton Injury Update
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tyrese Haliburton shared a video of his workout amid his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon. Haliburton appears to be getting back in shape after gaining weight during his battle with shingles.
The Pacers star was ridiculed for putting on a few pounds earlier this season before revealing that his shingles medication was causing the weight gain.
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