Jalen Brunson savagely heats up Knicks-Pacers, WWE feud with Tyrese Haliburton

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks are gearing up for a high-profile home opener against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers this Friday night at Madison Square Garden. While the focus will be on the two stars' on-court showdown, Brunson took a lighthearted jab at Haliburton regarding their interaction at a WWE Smackdown event in NYC earlier this year.

"I should’ve hit him with a chair," Brunson joked when reflecting on the encounter.

The comment was about their playful interaction during a WWE live event two months after the Pacers knocked the Knicks out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games. In the memorable playoff series, Haliburton's Pacers outlasted the Knicks, further extending their tumultuous rivalry between the two teams.

Jalen Brunson jokes he should have hit Tyrese Hailburton with steel chair during WWE interaction

The WWE moment came when Haliburton, alongside social media star Logan Paul, entered the ring looking for a fight against LA Knight. Brunson hopped the barricade, steel chair in hand, and stepped into the ring, much to the delight of the soldout crowd. The two exchanged some competitive banter before Haliburton and Paul retreated. When Brunson left the ring, he was serenaded by chants of “MVP!” from Knicks fans who were still in good spirits despite the previous playoff loss.

Now, with the Knicks coming off a rough 130-109 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics in their season opener, Brunson and his teammates are looking to recover quickly at the Garden. New acquisition Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby struggled in that game, combining for just 16 points, but the Knicks, sitting with the third-best championship odds, will aim to bounce back quickly and show that one poor game doesn’t define their season.

Friday's game promises to be another exciting chapter in the Brunson-Haliburton rivalry, with both superstars looking to lead their respective teams in what should be a thrilling home opener for Knicks fans.