In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers re-enacted their bitter rivalry from the 1990s in a hard-fought seven-game second-round series.
Part of what makes the current matchup so intriguing is the battle between All-Star point guards Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton. While the two don't always see each other on the court due to their defensive chemistry, they're both among the best point guards in the league and could be facing off in the playoffs for years to come.
To keep their feud (or kayfabe) alive, Brunson and Haliburton took their rivalry off the court and into the ring on Friday night's “WWE SmackDown” at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks guard drew the support of the crowd in his hometown arena, but the Indiana star didn't let the hostile environment stop him.
The two had a standoff at ringside during a Money in the Bank qualifying match against Logan Paul, LA Knight and Santos Escobar, eventually preventing Brunson from staying in his seat as Haliburton tried to give Paul his trademark brass knuckles to use in the ring.
Of course, the game wouldn't be nearly as dramatic without two NBA All-Stars in the ring — Brunson is the league's fourth-leading scorer this season and Haliburton averages the most assists per game — but the standout statistics on Friday were the steel chairs and brass knuckles.
Not wanting to let their star power go to waste, NBA rivals played a part in deciding the outcome of the match: Just as Halliburton was about to hit Paul with his metal knuckles, Brunson jumped into the ring with a steel chair, and Knight ultimately prevented Paul from pinning him down for the win.
Both players played their roles well. Haliburton played with the crowd going, while Brunson showed a fierce, competitive attitude, not too different from what you'd see on a basketball court. Will the next matchup between the Knicks and Pacers, a showdown between star point guards, match up to the intensity of “Smackdown”? Maybe in the playoffs.