Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson Had Epic Pacers-Knicks Staredown at WWE SmackDown

Tom Dierberger | Jun 28, 2024

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton make an appearance at WWE SmackDown on Friday night. / FOX

The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers collided once again at Madison Square Garden on Friday night—just not on a basketball court.

During WWE Friday Night SmackDown, wrestler Logan Paul brought out Tyrese Haliburton to have the Pacers star bring him his brass knuckles in the ring. Haliburton was met with thunderous boos from the Madison Square Garden crowd that likely consists of plenty of Knicks fans.

As Haliburton tested the brass knuckles on the stairs leading up the ring, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson hopped over the fence to confront him. WWE referees quickly got between the two NBA stars and escorted Brunson back off the floor.

"Is this Game 8?!" an announcer yelled on the Fox Sports broadcast.

.@LoganPaul never leaves home with out his brass knuckles 👊@TyHaliburton22, what are you doing?! 😳#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/EIdFKuXPfQ

— WWE (@WWE) June 29, 2024

Eventually, Haliburton made his way into the ring and Brunson joined him there, taunting him by grabbing a chair.

THIS IS AWESOME#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/lrQPRRmqb9

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 29, 2024

The last time Haliburton and the Pacers stepped inside Madison Square Garden, they ended the Knicks' season. New York built a 3–2 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals but lost the final two games, 116–103 and 130–109, extending its drought without a conference finals appearance to 24 years.

Aside from the fun WWE cameo, Brunson's Knicks have been busy this offseason. New York acquired Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, reuniting him with three former Villanova teammates in Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart.