The New York Knicks couldn't take care of business against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night, a matchup that pitted two of the league's top stars in Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton against each other.
For all of Brunson's usually clutch shots, there was a moment late in the Knicks' 138-135 overtime loss that had fans chuckling—while also crying, "Foul baiter!"
On one of the Knicks' final plays, Brunson made some space for himself at the top of the arc and launched a three-pointer to try and tie the game, but after he released the ball he did something a bit... weird.
As he landed, Brunson appeared to intentionally back up his butt into Pacers' Andrew Nembhard, who had just fairly contested Brunson's shot and was standing close by. It was an easy move to miss during the play, but eagle-eyed fans on social media caught it and accused Brunson of trying to draw a foul when there was clearly no contact.
Take a look for yourself:
I didn't even see this live wtf 😭 pic.twitter.com/itLY1jom6a
— AKRiley (@AKRileyy5) May 22, 2025
One could argue Brunson was a little off-balance after shooting the three, but it's not like he shot it that awkwardly.
Brunson got some heat for another questionable flop earlier in the game when he got tied up with Pacers' Aaron Nesmith. All eyes will be on the Knicks star in Game 2 at MSG on Friday night as he looks to help New York even the series—even if that means he has to come from behind.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fans Debate Whether Jalen Brunson Tried Sneaky Move With His Butt After Missed Three.
