Tyrese Haliburton may have just dethroned Trae Young as the most hated man in New York. At least presently, the Knicks fans have no love lost for the Pacers’ guard, especially considering the history between the teams. The Knicks forced a Game 6 after a dominant 111-94 win in Game 5 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
A video surfaced online after this game where Knicks fans had reportedly taken to the streets of New York following their Game 5 win. From chanting “Go New York, Go New York Go!” to climbing on things like cars in the streets, the scenes were wild in New York. In another video, Knicks fans were seen kicking and smacking a Tyrese Haliburton doll on the road.
Knicks fans attacking a Tyrese Haliburton doll👀 pic.twitter.com/Qp6YTw5Ss2
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) May 30, 2025
Knicks fans tend to take their celebrations public, even if it’s for the smallest of victories. From celebrities to nearly one in every four New York natives, everybody loves the Knicks in NYC. From cursing at Trae Young on the streets a few years ago to climbing up polls and being rowdy after their Game 6 win against the Celtics this year, the journey of a Knicks fan has definitely been like a roller coaster ride.
Tyrese Haliburton has become another victim of this passionate fan base that stops at nothing to show their love for their team. Haliburton struggled in Game 5 with only 8 points and 6 assists for the night. This gave extra satisfaction to Knicks fans who eagerly hope their team can pull off the nearly impossible feat of coming back from 3-1 down in their series.
The Knicks And Pacers: A Dive Into The Rivalry
The Pacers and Knicks’ rivalry goes back to the early 90s when Reggie Miller was still playing. The Knicks have a 102-96 advantage in their regular season record against the Pacers, however, the Pacers lead 29-23 in their postseason record.
During the 1993-2000 stretch, they met in the Playoffs six times. During this phase. Reggie Miller developed a bitter rivalry with Knicks superfan Spike Lee. This rivalry gave birth to Miller’s infamous choke sign, which Haliburton tried to emulate in Game 1 of their series this season.
This rivalry was revived last season when the Pacers eliminated the Knicks in the second round’s Game 7. Now, with this season’s Eastern Conference Finals matchup, fans have made it clear that they are still not fond of the Pacers. Is Tyrese Haliburton the new most-hated man in New York? Or does Trae Young still have that crown? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
