It's Tyrese Haliburton Vs All Of New York City

Congratulations to Tyrese Haliburton, who has become Enemy No. 1 among New York Knicks fans. 

With 0.00 remaining on the clock in regulation, Haliburton drained a game-tying shot to take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals into overtime in front of a shocked Madison Square Garden crowd. Eventually, the Pacers would steal Game One from the Knicks in absolutely stunning fashion. 

Haliburton, who thought he had actually hit a game-winner but had his foot on the three-point line, thus being only a two, immediately ran around the court "choking" himself, just as another despised former Indiana Pacers player, Reggie Miller, did during the 1994 ECF against Patrick Ewing, John Starks, and of course, Spike Lee. 

HALIBURTON HATE RISING AMONG KNICKS FANS

Actually, forget that. 

This isn't just Haliburton vs. Knicks fans. This needs to be Tyrese vs. all of New York City because that is the level of animosity that is brewing right now between these two basketball franchises. Haliburton continues to be an arrogant, pain in the you-know-what to the Knicks' championship dreams over the past two seasons.

In the end, Haliburton's heroics, including his 31 points and 11 assists, helped the Pacers upset the Knicks, who collapsed after taking a 14-point lead with under three minutes to play. 

"Everybody wanted me to do [the choke sign] last year at some different point, but it’s gotta feel right. It felt right at the time, but if I would’ve known it was a two, I would not have done it… I might have wasted it," Haliburton told reporters after the game. 

Talk about cockiness and just being irritating. The passive aggressiveness that just oozes off of him makes you want to take a shower in the Hudson River rather than interact with him.

In their last 10 meetings, Haliburton is averaging 22.5 ppg, 4 rebounds, and 7.9 assists. He also never misses a shot at being a New York villain. (NBA stats provided by StatMuse, while the villain comment is mine and completely accurate). 

KNICKS DESPERATELY NEED A GAME 2 VICTORY

Pacers head coach Rick Carisle isn't going to reel Haliburton in either, so it's up to the Knicks players and fanbase to put him in his place. "Tyrese has earned the right to do whatever he wants," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of the choking gesture.

After the devastating and soul-sucking loss, Knicks forward Josh Hart admitted that the team "let off the gas," on the defensive end of the ball, thinking that they had secured the pivotal Game 1 victory.

Instead, the Knicks allowed the rise of a new persona non grata in the Big Apple.

And it's time the team did their part to not let Haliburton or the Pacers take this historic postseason run away from a city that hasn't won an NBA championship since 1973.

Game Two is slated for Friday night from MSG.

IS TYRESE HALIBURTON THE NEW REGGIE MILLER? TWEET ME: @TheGunzShow