Well, the Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton surely did a number on the Milwaukee Bucks. Injury-rigged superstars and a team that is still getting used to the newest member and an even newer coach. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, they might have survived the first round. That is not to say Damian Lillard didn’t do his best, given the circumstances. But the “Greek Freak,” unable to make even one postseason appearance, was a sign that things weren’t going to bode well for the team.

Anyway, that’s all done and dusted. They will be focusing on resting and getting better while the Pacers still have mountains to climb. And right now, they are the New York Knicks! Ahead of Game 1, Indiana’s injury report isn’t in favor of them, we are sad to say. As per Indiana’s beat writer, Scott Agness, “On the Pacers’ first injury report for Round 2 vs Knicks, Tyrese Haliburton is questionable with low back spasms.” 

Given how it’s been the same for four straight games now, apparently, it’s no more a surprise. Aside from Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin remains out due to a season-ending injury he sustained in early March against the Dallas Mavericks. On the Knicks’ side, similar to Mathurin, Julius Randle and Bojan Bogdanovic also had season ending injuries.

According to Charania, Bogdanovic was to undergo surgeries on both his left foot and wrist. Randle, for his part, is rehabilitating after a successful right shoulder surgery. New York said that he will be reevaluated in five months’ time.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks is set to tip-off at 7:30 PM ET at Madison Square Garden. The second-seeded Knicks and sixth-seeded Pacers game will be one that will be eagerly anticipated. After all, the historical rivalry goes back a decade.

Tyrese Haliburton is only too aware of the “competition” and “smoke” going into tonight’s matchup

The rivalry between Pacers and Knicks has been one of the biggest in the NBA. We don’t have to tell you how it has often led to heated and intense moments between players, fans, and even celebrities. Tyrese Haliburton knows that the semis between the two teams will garner attention from all over the world. “There’s a lot of competition, a lot of smoke in there … There’s no secret that that’s a rivalry,” he admitted freely.

The 1990s were the height of the feud between the two teams. Reggie Miller of Indiana, John Starks of New York, and the Knicks celebrity superfan Spike Lee were the leading faces of the rivalry. And how can we forget the infamous Miller choke sign in the 1994 Game 5?

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Even prior to that, Starks had head-butted Miller in the 1993 Game 3. The Pacers loyalist was on fire as he led the team to victory. And his consistent trash-talking got to Starks. Miller had no warning as Starks headed straight for the former 5x All-Star.

While this is all very true, how much of the hyped rivalry can the Pacers now emulate is one which we will have to wait and see. They have showcased their talent for trash-talking vs the Bucks. But can they continue it against the Knicks enough for a walk down the memory lane?