Josh Hart sends message as Knicks & Pacers rivalry takes hilarious turn with unexpected request

Tensions are running high heading into Josh Hart and the New York Knicks’ Conference finals series against the Indiana Pacers. Last year, Haliburton and the Pacers eliminated an injured and spent Knicks team from the playoffs. This year, however, things look too close to call.

The Knicks are fully healthy this year. With the NBA Finals on the line, the two sides seem to have reignited their past rivalry from the Reggie Miller days.

Ahead of Game 1 on Wednesday, one fan joked about Long’s donuts, a renowned donut shop in Indianapolis beloved by Josh Hart, potentially banning the Knicks forward ahead of their ECF series.

Back in 2024, Hart spoke openly on the Roomates Show about his dislike for Indianapolis. Despite that, he had nothing but good things to say about Long's donuts.

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Keeping that in mind, when a fan suggested that the bakery should ban him ahead of the Eastern Conference finals, Hart had a hilarious reaction to the request. In a repost on X, he wrote:

"Yoooo I swear (laughing emojis) they better not!"

The Knicks-Pacers series won't head to Indiana until Sunday, May 25, for Game 3, with Games 1 and 2 set to take place in New York.

"I am not an Indiana guy" - the time Josh Hart spoke openly about disliking Indianapolis

While playing for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup in 2023, Josh Hart and Tyrese Haliburton became fast friends. Although the two are now set to face off in the playoffs for a second year in a row, it wasn't long ago that Haliburton was trying to convince Hart to join him in Indiana.

Back in 2023, Haliburton reportedly pitched Hart on playing in Indiana, citing the state's reasonable cost of living and available land area. However, things didn't work out.

As Hart explained at the time, he just simply isn't an Indiana guy:

"If I don’t have to play the Indiana Pacers, I’m not stepping foot in that state. ... I am not an Indiana guy. ... There's just nothing, really, in Indy at all. I feel the same way about other places. There's nothing in particular with Indy, there's just nothing to do. There's nothing for me."

Despite that, the one thing Indiana does have that Hart loves is Long's Bakery.

Ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, however, we'll have to see whether the bakery draws a temporary line in the sand against the Knicks forward.

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About the author

Evan Bell

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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