Tyrese Haliburton admits he has mixed feelings about the Knicks' championship success image
As the superstar player of the Indiana Pacers, there is always some animosity toward the New York Knicks. That dates back to the 1990s during Reggie Miller's time, but Tyrese Haliburton also has some animosity toward the Knicks.
Unfortunately for Haliburton, he had to watch from the sidelines during the 2026 Playoffs when the Knicks pulled off a magical run en route to a championship. It is even more impactful because the Pacers were a win away from achieving that the season prior.
Tyrese Haliburton reveals he has mixed feelings about the Knicks' championship
Haliburton found it tough to be sitting on the sidelines for a year after a ruptured Achilles. Not only did he have to deal with that, but he also had a bout with shingles during his recovery period.
The 2025-26 season was definitely a tough one for Haliburton as he had to step away from playing. However, it became even worse during the Playoffs because he saw the Knicks finally win the Eastern Conference and eventually win the championship.
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Indiana came so close in the 2025 NBA Finals, but Haliburton got injured early in the game. He had a phenomenal start to Game 7, but his injury led to the Oklahoma City Thunder getting crowned as champions.
"Are the Knicks like our rival? Yes. But like, are those guys like, I like those guys and like their friends? Yeah. At the same time, you know, as I watch like a finals celebration when like I have before in my life like I watch because that’s like a special thing and like an emotional thing," Haliburton admitted on an episode of Boardroom Talks.
Now, Haliburton has another shot at winning a championship in the 2026-27 season. However, it is a different NBA since Haliburton suffered that injury in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Despite that, he is ready to do his best to help the Pacers win a title.
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