Tyrese Haliburton celebrated the Indiana Pacers' 130-109 Game 7 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden by wearing a sweatshirt with Reggie Miller's infamous choking gesture.
The Knicks started this second-round series with a 2-0 advantage, but the Pacers climbed back and have now earned a ticket to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2014. Haliburton felt the need to make a statement after registering a team-high 26 points while shooting 10-for-17, including 6-for-12 from beyond the arc.
The House of Orange brand sweatshirt he was wearing goes back to an iconic moment in the historic Pacers-Knicks rivalry, when Miller gave the Pacers a 3-2 lead in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals with 25 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5 in New York.
Tyrese Haliburton in a Reggie Miller sweatshirt after winning Game 7 at the Garden 😈 pic.twitter.com/TKuOc3t1zu
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 19, 2024
When he was asked about the hoodie during the postgame press conference, Haliburton said he got it two days ago and avoided going into the meaning behind it.
"We text every day. He has been a good mentor for me," Haliburton said. "I'm just wearing a hoodie, I like to be comfy on the plane."
Naturally, Miller also did not waste time commenting on his former team's victory. After the game, he went on Instagram and shared a clip of the Knicks' Josh Hart taking a jab at him during Game 2. Miller said this was when the series changed momentum. He also told Knicks star Jalen Brunson -- who exited the game early with a fractured left hand -- and his teammates to "heal up together on some beautiful beaches in Cancun."
Haliburton put on quite the show, but this was a full team effort as the Pacers made 29 of their 38 shot attempts in the first half. That 76.3% is the highest shooting percentage in a half in the postseason since 1997.
"I knew today is Game 7, unload the clip," Haliburton said. "Have no regrets, because I would hate to be pissed all summer about not shooting the ball today. For me, it was just about coming out and playing the right way."
The Pacers won't have too much time to enjoy their win as they have a quick turnaround. They will be playing Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
