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Tyrese Haliburton's Behavior After Playoff Loss Catches Attention

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated May 30, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Madison Square Garden buzzed with relief Thursday night as the New York Knicks dismantled the Indiana Pacers, 111-94, in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Jalen Brunson poured in 32 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds in a bounce-back performance that trimmed Indiana’s series lead to 3-2 and sent it back to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Saturday.

Amid the Knicks’ celebration and the Pacers’ disappointment, cameras caught Indiana’s All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton leaving the court with a grin and laughing on his way out.

Haliburton ended Game 5 of Knicks vs Pacers with just eight points and six assists on 2-of-7 shooting from the floor.

The unexpected display of joviality from a star coming off such a tough outing instantly ignited reactions across social media.

"Yeah it's over," responded one user.

"yea ny is done," another fan commented.

"He gonna go crazy game 6," one other commenter replied.

"Rubbed his hands together too lol," another fan said.

"Because he knows come Saturday this [expletive] is over for ya'll," commented one user.

Another user responded, "Game 6 Hali incoming."

Since arriving in Indiana in 2022, Haliburton has led the league in assists (2023-24) and has been named to two All-Star Games (2023, 2024) and two All-NBA Third Teams (2023, 2024).

The Knicks vs Pacers series revives one of the NBA’s most storied rivalries, dating back to 1977.

The Pacers hold a narrow two-game advantage in postseason matchups (29-24), but the Knicks have flipped that momentum with Thursday's Game 5 win at MSG.

With Game 6 scheduled for Saturday night in Indianapolis, a win for the Pacers would send them to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, while a victory for New York would secure a Game 7 back at home on Monday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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