Tyrese Haliburton Delivers Bold Message For Defending Champion Knicks

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton praised the defending champion New York Knicks for their title run while expressing eager anticipation to face them again in the playoffs. Speaking on the Zach Lowe show, Haliburton acknowledged New York's dominant postseason performance but stated he hopes to reignite the burgeoning rivalry, noting he wants to compete against the league's best teams.

Haliburton missed the entire 2025-2026 season due to injury before making his on-court return on October 7 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, his first action in 472 days. The healthy guard entered training camp with no restrictions, bulked up to approximately 200 pounds, and re-joins a roster featuring Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard.