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The Knicks and Pacers will meet in the Eastern Conference finals beginning on Wednesday, renewing one of the best team rivalries in the NBA, but the individual battle between their All-Star guards cuts much deeper.
In 2024, Jalen Brunson was snubbed from the Team USA Olympic roster in favor of Tyrese Haliburton. Both players were included on the 2023 FIBA World Cup team — with Brunson serving as captain — but only the Indiana guard was invited to go to Paris, where the United States won the gold medal.
Beyond the Knicks' second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Pacers last season, NBA reporters are saying the Olympic snub has driven Brunson all season long. He was named to his second consecutive All-Star team in February and won the 2024-25 NBA Clutch Player of the Year award.
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With the Knicks trying to get to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, Brunson will have to outplay Haliburton to advance. He'll have no shortage of motivation, that's for sure.
Here's what to know about Jalen Brunson's rivalry with Tyrese Haliburton.
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Why was Jalen Brunson snubbed from Team USA Olympic roster?
The rivalry between Brunson and Haliburton originated last summer when the latter was chosen for the 2024 Team USA Olympic roster over the former.
Both players were worthy of being selected, of course, but Brunson had a particularly strong case. Among the 41 players in the selection pool, Brunson was first in points per game (28.7). He was fourth in points per game in the 2023-24 NBA season, trailing only Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada).
Possibly hurting Brunson's case was the fact that he was the captain of the 2023 Team USA squad that finished fourth in the 2023 FIBA World. The United States lost to Canada 127-118 in the third place game, failing to medal at the event for the second straight time.
Regardless of why he was left off the team, the 2024 Olympics snub seems to be motivating Brunson this season. He has led New York in points per game during the regular season (26.0) and postseason (28.0), and he's lived up to his "Captain Clutch" nickname, knocking down big shots in series against the Pistons and Celtics to close out games.
Jalen Brunson vs. Tyrese Haliburton stats
Brunson and Haliburton have both had fantastic seasons this year, more or less leading their teams to the Eastern Conference finals. Here's a side-by-side comparison of their 2024-25 stats.
| Jalen Brunson (NYK) | Tyrese Haliburton (IND) | |
| G | 65 | 73 |
| GS | 65 | 73 |
| MP | 35.4 | 33.6 |
| FG% | .479 | .473 |
| 3P% | .383 | .388 |
| FT% | .821 | .851 |
| Reb | 2.9 | 3.5 |
| Ast | 7.3 | 9.2 |
| Pts | 26.0 | 18.6 |
Team USA Olympic basketball roster 2024
The Team USA Olympic basketball roster in 2024 was stacked even without the NBA's fourth-leading scorer. The United States, coached by Steve Kerr, captured the gold medal for the fifth straight tournament, defeating France 98-87 in the championship game. Here's a look at the team.
- G Stephen Curry
- G Anthony Edwards
- G LeBron James
- G Kevin Durant
- G Derrick White
- G Tyrese Haliburton
- G Jrue Holiday
- G Devin Booker
- F Jayson Tatum
- F/C Anthony Davis
- C Joel Embiid
- C Bam Adebayo
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