After appearing on multiple brands over multiple different dates, WWE finally found Tyrese Haliburton an opponent more his speed on an episode of SmackDown when, after teaming up with LA Knight as a special guest manager, the Indiana Pacers' guard went face to face with none other than New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.

The match, which didn't actually feature any physicality between the two guards, was nonetheless topical, as it took place in the wake of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, when the two sides faced off in the pursuit of the Eastern Conference's spot in the NBA Finals. Hali and Brunson stared each other down, got to do their best Superstar impressions, including the use of a steel chair, and ultimately left with the promise that one day, the two men would meet again.

Well, as it turns out, that showdown has arrived, and much like all good wrestling series, it will be decided in a best-of-seven series, with the Pacers and Knicks officially punching their tickets to the Eastern Conference Finals with series wins over the Cavs and Celtics, respectively.

Now, if this series were decided in WWE, it would look like a classic example of good long-term booking, with fans celebrating Paul “Triple H” Levesque for hinting at the feud for months before finally pulling the trigger. Both teams took down squads with better records to get to the ECF, and now, they will have to put it all on the line for a trip to face either the Denver Nuggets, the OKC Thunder, or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Finals.

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And yet, this isn't WWE, where the results are known before the bell rings, but instead the NBA, which isn't rigged as much as some fans may claim it – and its lottery – to be.

No, when this series opens up, fans of the Eastern Conference will get to see which team is better in May of 2025, and which will have to take a long look in the mirror to see how they can improve moving forward. Needless to say, this seven-game SmackDown is going to be an Elimination Chamber of WrestleMania proportions.