Tyrese Haliburton downplays Knicks defense after Game 1

Defense has been the identity of the New York Knicks since Tom Thibodeau took over as head coach in 2020. Tyrese Haliburton was reminded of that in Game 1.

The Indiana Pacers point guard finished the night with just 6 points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field and 3 turnovers.

Before Game 2, Haliburton spoke to the media about his poor performance.

He claims the lack of production was a byproduct of his own misplaced focus and struggles, and not New York’s defense.

“I look at it more as a Tyrese problem than a Knicks problem,” Haliburton told reporters on May 7. “So I’ll be better in Game 2.”

Haliburton continued by saying he was more focused on passing than scoring in Game 1.

“I think every player in the league who is a goalscorer and uses a lot, passes the ball a lot,” he continued. “It’s a balance we have to find. It’s not easy, but I obviously made a playmaking mistake yesterday and that wasn’t the right decision for me.”

He finished with 8 assists in 36 minutes, but finished the night with a -12 plus/minus rating.

Haliburton, an All-Star in his own right, was defeated by the Knicks’ own Jalen Brunson, who scored 43 points in the win.

While there are no obvious issues on the field, more has been written about Brunson outshining Haliburton than any topic from Game 1 of the Conference Semifinals series. New York Knicks fans bombarded social media with slander.

Knicks fans roast Haliburton on Twitter

Elephants never forget, but New York Knicks fans won’t let them either. They took to Twitter after the game to roast the Pacers’ star for his disappointing performance.

New York superfan and co-host of the ‘7PM in Brooklyn’ podcast, The Kid Mero didn’t hold back regarding Indiana’s point guard.

“Tyrese Haliburton? 6 points? Fraud,” he said on a May 7 episode of the Dan Le Batard Show. “Everyone was like, ‘He’s better than Jalen Brunson, the Knicks should have drafted him.’ Fraud.”

Shaun Geddes tweeted that “Tyrese Haliburton spent the 4th quarter on a milk carton.”

Haliburton didn’t make a single field goal attempt in the final quarter, and Indiana was outrebounded by nine points while on the floor.

Knicks memes reposted a TikTok from Haliburton’s account where he edited clones of himself dancing, forming a threesome.

“There are more Tyrese Haliburti in this video than Tyrese Haliburton made field goals in Game 1…Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson dropped 43,” they tweeted on May 6.

Indiana’s point guard made just two shots in Game 1, and both came in the first half.

Debts entered into social media, adding that it is the Pacers’ backup point guard who poses the real threat to the Knicks.

“TJ McConnell scared every Knicks fan more than Tyrese Haliburton last night,” he tweeted.

TJ McConnell finished Game 1 with 18 points, 3 assists and 3 steals. Indiana beat New York by 9 points while on the floor.

Knicks’ Series is 1-0

According to Land of Basketball, of the 212 Conference Semifinals series in NBA history, 158 teams that take a 1-0 lead have won the series. That is 74.5 percent of all teams.

With one more game at Madison Square Garden before heading to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the New York Knicks will look to take a 2-0 lead at home.

And if Tyrese Haliburton continues his fight, the odds will shift even more in their favor.