- NBA stars Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton appeared on WWE Friday Night SmackDown at Madison Square Garden.
- Brunson and Haliburton almost fought in the ring during a match, reflecting their on-court rivalry.
- The segment ended with Brunson getting the last laugh, potentially fueling the rivalry between the Knicks and Pacers for next season.
The Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks saw each other in a heated seven-game bloodbath in this year’s NBA playoffs to renew an age-old rivalry from the 1990s. Well, both teams’ stars decided to take that rivalry on the court into the wrestling ring.
During the June 28th episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown at Madison Square Garden, Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton were on the show. Not only did they make an appearance, they were also featured in a wild segment that almost saw the two All-Star guards go at it in the squared circle.
Though Haliburton got the best of Brunson in the playoffs, the Knicks star at least got the last laugh and stood tall in the middle of the ring on Friday night. Watch the segment below.
How Did Brunson and Haliburton Get Involved on WWE SmackDown
In a classic heel move, internet sensation and current United States Champion Logan Paul, came out with Haliburton during his triple-threat match against LA Knight and Santos Escobar. This, of course, did not sit well with the MSG crowd given that the last time Haliburton was in the building, he sent the Knicks home packing in the postseason.
During the entrance, Haliburton marched down the ring and had an intense staredown with Brunson, who was seated at ringside.
The match went on and near its conclusion, the Pacers guard attempted to help Paul by getting a pair of brass knuckles. Upon seeing this, Brunson got up from his seat and jumped over the barricade to confront Haliburton. This led to another heated face-off between the two All-Stars. Fortunately, the officials stepped in to separate the two.
Knight went on to win the match after pinning Paul via a roll-up, spoiling Haliburton’s attempt to help the United States champion win the match and qualify for the men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match that will take place in Toronto, Canada.
After the match, Haliburton went inside the ring. With Haliburton still in possession of the brass knuckles, he and Paul looked to double-team and attack Knight. That’s when Brunson stepped in and went inside the squared circle with a steel chair to even the playing field.
In the end, Haliburton and Knight backed off, while Brunson and Knight stood tall and celebrated in the ring, much to the delight of the Madison Square Garden crowd.
Haliburton and Brunson never really got into it physically. But was their staredown part of the script? Did they actually incorporate kayfabe into the segment? Or was there some real life animosity between the two budding rivals?
Regardless, their WWE moment should further fire up the already heated rivalry between the Knicks and Pacers for next season.
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