Pacers Fan Breaks Silence on Brutal Altercation With Knicks Fans

Published: Monday, May 19, 2025 at 4:39 pm

Pacers Fan Speaks Out After Knicks Fan Altercation, Gets Rewarded by Tyrese Haliburton

Tensions are already high as the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks prepare for a highly anticipated 2025 Eastern Conference Finals matchup. Following the Knicks' Game 6 victory over the Boston Celtics, a Pacers fan, Hans Perez, found himself in the middle of a heated altercation with a group of Knicks fans outside Madison Square Garden.

Video footage captured the incident, showing fans throwing objects, including what appeared to be a large trash bag, at Perez. He recently shared his experience on The Pat McAfee Show, recounting his decision to "feel the energy" near the Garden while wearing his Pacers jersey. Perez noted that the atmosphere was less hostile during a previous Pacers-Knicks playoff game he attended.

Despite the initial appearance of the incident, Perez was thankfully unharmed. In a heartwarming turn of events, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton surprised Perez by offering to bring him and a guest to Game 4 of the Pacers-Knicks series in Indiana. Haliburton stated the organization wanted to ensure Perez was "taken care of."

The Pacers and Knicks have a storied postseason rivalry, having met eight times previously. The Pacers have won the last three playoff matchups, including last year. Their last conference finals clash was in 2000, with the Pacers emerging victorious. Game 1 of the upcoming series is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET. This incident highlights the passionate, sometimes volatile, nature of NBA fandom and the impact players can have on their supporters.

Keywords: Pacers, Knicks, NBA, Eastern Conference Finals, Tyrese Haliburton, Hans Perez, Madison Square Garden, altercation, fan, playoff, Game 4, Indiana, New York, rivalry, basketball, sports, news, incident, The Pat McAfee Show.

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