Haliburton-Brunson Rivalry Puts Metta World Peace In Dilemma Despite 5 Years long History

Over the years, rivalries have shaped the NBA’s most unforgettable moments. From Lakers vs. Celtics to Celtics against the Pistons and Spurs vs. Suns, these matchups pumped pure adrenaline into the game for different generations. But if we’re talking about one rivalry that surpasses all, it’s the decades-old Knicks vs. Pacers feud. And now, with both squads going at each other’s throats in the Eastern Conference Finals, the question’s back on the table: who you got? Well, it seems Metta World Peace, aka Ron Artest, who spent time with both franchises, has already picked his side.

Metta World Peace was born in Queens, New York, and like any kid from the city, he dreamed of playing for the Knicks. And guess what? He did it. Naturally, there’s always been a soft spot in his heart for the hometown squad. But here’s where things get complicated. Metta also suited up for the Indiana Pacers, and not as a benchwarmer. He made an NBA All-Star appearance in Indiana and took home Defensive Player of the Year honors while wearing a Pacers jersey.

So, if anyone should feel torn between these two rivals, it’s Metta. On one side, there’s the team he grew up cheering for in the heart of New York. On the other hand, it’s the franchise where he spent his prime, built his legacy, and nearly chased a title before it all went south. Now, with Jalen Brunson leading the Knicks and Tyrese Haliburton balling out for the Pacers, fans can’t stop debating which star runs the East better. It’s a debate tailor-made for someone like Metta. And yep, he picked a side.

On a recent episode of the Casuals with Katie Nolan podcast, Katie hit Metta with the ultimate question: where does he stand in the Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry? At first, Metta hesitated. You could almost feel the struggle through the mic. But then, he finally gave his answer: “I have a history with pacers, so I’m a pacers guy definitely. But when it plays Knicks, it’s always hard for me because I am from New York, I love the Knicks.” See what I mean? That’s a man caught between two homes.

Metta felt the weight of that question, no doubt. But in the end, he picked the team where he built most of his NBA memories. He spent five seasons balling out in Indiana, becoming an All-Star and locking up the league’s best as Defensive Player of the Year. Meanwhile, his Knicks run lasted just a little over half a season before he left for China in 2014 to play with the Sichuan Blue Whales. So yeah, it makes sense. Some places leave a bigger mark than others. But what makes Tyrese vs Brunson a point of discussion? 

Tyrese Haliburton vs. Jalen Brunson, now it’s a full-blown chess match, and the world is divided. Brian Windhorst of ESPN recently expressed that while Haliburton is a good player, Jalen Brunson takes over when the game is on the line. But for now, Haliburton, with a magician’s vision and a flair for the unexpected, is orchestrating Indiana’s offense like a maestro with a hot hand. On the other side, Brunson is pure grit and craft, slicing through defenses with surgical precision and carrying the Knicks on his back like a man on a mission. The duel, which is carving its own place in playoff lore, seems to lean slightly in Haliburton’s way as the Pacers lead 3-1 in the East Conference Finals.

Pacers’ notorious ‘Malice in the Palace’ mayhem haunted Metta World Peace for years

The 2004-05 Indiana Pacers should’ve been title contenders, no question. That squad had the talent, depth, and edge to go all the way. But everything unraveled the night of the infamous ‘Malice at the Palace.’During a heated regular-season game against the defending champion Pistons, a scuffle between Ron Artest, now known as Metta World Peace, and Pistons center Ben Wallace sparked pure chaos.

After a brief shoving match, Artest made a show of lying down on the scorer’s table. Then, when a fan hurled a drink at him, he lost it. Metta stormed into the stands and set off one of the darkest nights in NBA history. The fallout was brutal. Metta got a season-long suspension, and the Pacers’ championship dreams disintegrated. That incident didn’t just wreck a season for the Pacers, it haunted Metta for years.

“That’s what I feel most bad about to this day,” he told ESPN. “That’s something I can never, ever forgive myself for. I don’t regret it, but I definitely can’t forgive myself for that.” That honesty cuts deep. Because for Metta, the weight of ‘what could’ve been’ hung over him long after the Palace went quiet.

Two decades after that fateful night in Detroit, the ghosts of the past may finally be giving way to a new chapter. The Indiana Pacers are no longer a team defined by “what could’ve been”—they’re blazing through the playoffs and firing up the New York Knicks with a vengeance. And with Metta World Peace now publicly supporting his former squad, maybe—just maybe—he’s picked the right side at the right time. Could this be the year the Pacers finally exorcise the past and raise their first NBA championship banner?

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