Tyrese Haliburton's Father Claims Knicks Won Title Due to Pacers' Injuries

John Haliburton, the father of Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, is determined to rain on the New York Knicks' parade.

The Knicks secured their first title in 53 years by taking down the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. Unsurprisingly, Jalen Brunson led the charge by averaging 32.6 points per game in the championship series.

Shortly after the Knicks had their championship parade, John Haliburton spoke to NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson about a plethora of topics, including the current landscape of the Eastern Conference.

Haliburton suggested that New York won the Finals this season partly because his son wasn't healthy for Indiana.

"New York won the championship this year, but they won it because Indiana wasn't fully standing in their way at the very end," Haliburton said. "Next year, with Tyrese back, Indiana will be standing right there."

Best rivalry in the Eastern?

The Pacers renewed their rivalry with the Knicks by eliminating them in the second round of the 2024 playoffs.

One year later, the Knicks and Pacers met again in the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite their best efforts, the Knicks had no answer for the duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. The All-Star guard for the Pacers averaged 21.0 points and 11.5 assists per game.

Hopefully, the Knicks and Pacers will have another playoff showdown next season.

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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM.