Tyrese Haliburton is ready to embrace the moment as the Indiana Pacers prepare to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Game 1, Haliburton acknowledged the intensity the Knicks bring and the changes they’ve made since last postseason.
“They play really hard,” he said. “Obviously, they added KAT this year. I’m excited to compete against those guys.”
Indiana and New York last met in the playoffs in 2024, with the Pacers eliminating the Knicks in the secondd round.
Now, with both teams advancing past their respective second-round matchups in five and six games, Haliburton is eager to renew what he called a “storied rivalry.”
Asked about controlling tempo against a physical Knicks lineup, Haliburton emphasized one area above all: rebounding.
“If we’re not getting stops and we’re not making shots, then you kind of got to play at the other team’s pace,” he said. “Their points per possession go way up as they grab more and more rebounds.”
Haliburton also discussed the contrasting styles between the two teams, highlighting Indiana’s reliance on depth.
“We feel like we have the best bench in the NBA,” he said. “If they’re keeping their guys on the floor, keep playing the way we do.”
New York has leaned heavily on its starting five throughout the postseason, while the Pacers have consistently rotated players like T.J. McConnell and former Knick Obi Toppin to maintain pace.
Haliburton also revisited his WWE-themed storyline with Jalen Brunson, a subplot that began last summer at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m a diehard WWE fan,” he said. “Still trying to get Triple H to come to a game—working on it.”
He recalled how their joint appearance with WWE came together unexpectedly, saying, “I had no idea Jalen was going until I got there.”
Looking back at last year’s matchup and the atmosphere at MSG, Haliburton admitted he relishes the road environment.
“I think last year the series was a lot of fun—back and forth,” he said. “It’s all the fun with it… I look forward to the crowd environment.”
With Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges now part of the Knicks’ rotation, Haliburton noted the challenge of facing a deeper, more versatile group.
“Tibs is a guy who’s not a gimmick guy,” he said. “He doesn’t change their defensive concepts much… but there’s definitely different personnel out there.”
Despite nearly a week without a game, Haliburton doesn’t expect the time off to disrupt their rhythm.
“We’ve had a couple off days, had a couple good hard practice days,” he said. “It’s been good for us to get more days to work.”
As the Pacers eye their first Finals appearance in 25 years, Haliburton emphasized the importance of team defense and staying solid on physical matchups.
“With Mikal, I can kind of get baited into wanting to block every time he shoots the ball—and then foul,” he said. “If I can rebound at a decent level, I like our chances.”
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
