Tyrese Haliburton Breaks Knicks’ Hearts Again, Propels Pacers to the Edge of NBA Finals — Can He Quiet Madison Square Garden One More Time?

The stage was set for another high-stakes showdown in the Eastern Conference Finals, and once again, Tyrese Haliburton delivered when it mattered most.

With Game 6 on the line and the Indiana Pacers holding a narrow 3-2 series lead, Haliburton stormed into Gainbridge Fieldhouse and left no doubt. The 24-year-old guard orchestrated a brilliant offensive display, slicing through the New York Knicks’ defense and silencing critics who once questioned whether he had what it took to be a playoff alpha.

Behind Haliburton’s 27 points, 12 assists, and relentless fourth-quarter poise, the Pacers surged to a 108-101 victory that has them just one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.

And now, all eyes turn to the Mecca of basketball: Madison Square Garden. Game 7 is set. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

What Haliburton has done in this series goes beyond the box score. Yes, he’s had gaudy numbers—averaging 24.6 points and 9.8 assists over the past five games—but it’s been his composure and swagger that have truly lifted Indiana.

In Game 3, he torched the Knicks with 35 points and drilled a dagger three in Julius Randle’s face that became an instant social media highlight. In Game 5, he calmly buried back-to-back floaters in the closing minutes to seal the win at Madison Square Garden, stunning the rowdy New York crowd into silence.

What’s most impressive isn’t just his production—it’s his control. Haliburton plays with a patience and vision well beyond his years, often looking like the smartest man on the court. He’s dissected Tom Thibodeau’s defense with laser-precise passes, exploiting even the slightest gaps.

He’s reading everything like a quarterback,” said Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle after Game 6. “He’s got full command of the tempo, and the team feeds off that.”

For the Knicks, this is familiar heartbreak. After a gritty, hard-nosed series win over the 76ers in the second round, New York entered the Conference Finals with momentum and confidence. But Haliburton and the Pacers have slowly dismantled that belief.

Jalen Brunson has played valiantly, averaging nearly 29 points in the series, but the absence of OG Anunoby (hamstring) and the inconsistency of the Knicks’ bench has made it tough to match Indiana’s firepower. RJ Barrett has struggled with his shot, and Josh Hart, though a tireless rebounder, has had trouble keeping up with Haliburton defensively.

With their season on the line, the Knicks will return to their home floor for a do-or-die Game 7. And they’ll have history, pride, and desperation on their side. Madison Square Garden is sure to be electric, but will that be enough to throw Haliburton off his game?

There are few arenas in sports more intimidating than Madison Square Garden during playoff basketball. The crowd is relentless, the noise deafening, and the stakes sky-high. But if anyone has shown they can block out the noise and play the villain in New York, it’s Haliburton.

In Game 2, he walked off the Garden floor with a grin after sinking a late three to secure the win. He gestured to the crowd, tapped his temple, and made it clear: he wasn’t fazed.

For the Pacers, Game 7 is a chance to end a 25-year Finals drought. The last time they reached this point, Reggie Miller was draining threes and Larry Bird was on the sidelines. This young, fast-paced Indiana team—built around Haliburton, Myles Turner, and a deep, energetic bench—represents a new era.

For Haliburton personally, a win in New York would cement his leap into superstardom. He’s already an All-Star and All-NBA caliber talent. But a Game 7 victory at MSG to send the Pacers to the Finals? That’s legacy material.

The Knicks, meanwhile, are fighting to avoid another postseason flameout. A loss would raise uncomfortable questions about the team’s ceiling with its current core and put pressure on the front office to make bold offseason moves.