May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Ben Stiller arrives prior to game four of the eastern conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Ben Stiller Responds to Pat McAfee's Knicks Taunt

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated May 29, 2025 11:00 AM ET

To this day, no one makes Ben Stiller bleed his own blood, even the metaphorically drawn variety in the name of his New York Knicks fandom.

Appearing on SNY's web series "The Putback with Ian Begley," Stiller addressed Pat McAfee's not-so-warm welcome to Indianapolis when he took in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Stiller and seat neighbor Timothee Chalamet were two of several "bigwigs from the big city" that McAfee name dropped when the arena granted him a microphone to pump up the crowd in the early stages of the fourth quarter.

“I have to say, I was not familiar with his game," Stiller said (h/t Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing) "I did not know that was coming."

We’re live at 1230p with @BenStiller () and @iHateShaun on The Putback talking Knicks: https://t.co/G0F46SCOdp
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 28, 2025

McAfee encouraged supporters to send "these sons of b*****s back to New York with their ears ringing," which drew the desired volume from his adoring Pacers public. Indiana was up 15 at the time and wound up winning the game by a 130-121 final to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven set.

Stiller recalled that Chalamet had previously guest starred on McAfee's eponymous web series, which is nationally-syndicated on ESPN, but was unfamiliar with his other endeavors, which included an eight-year NFL term as the Indianapolis Colts' punter.

The "Dodgeball" star remarked that McAfee seemed to take on a persona similar to that of a professional wrestler, an astute observation considering the ex-specialist's other endeavors, which include color commentary duties for Netflix's "WWE Raw." While Stiller didn't exactly have a problem with McAfee's intentions, he stated that such tactics would not be employed at Madison Square Garden.

Stiller went as far as to say that, if McAfee took up his invitation to Game 5 of the series and was shown on the MSG video boards, he would receive a warm welcome from those gathered.

“They’ll put him up on the screen and they’ll show him punting the ball and everybody will give him a nice cheer,” Stiller said. “That’s how we do it in New York. But I get it, it was fun. He was just trying to get the crowd riled up. It was a little bit out of the blue. It’s also like, are we really doing the narrative of Hicks versus Knicks? Like the bigwigs from New York? It just seems a little cartoonish. But then again, it goes with the WWE.”

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: