Timothée Chalamet attempted to intervene during the Knicks’ disappointing Game 1 loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday evening.
As the game dwindled down, he gestured for a technical foul against Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, with 18.9 seconds left on the clock.
Chalamet seemed to be urging Knicks guard Jalen Brunson to block the inbound pass, trying to influence the game from his courtside seat.
Ultimately, Nembhard managed to deflect a pass aimed at Brunson by Knicks forward OG Anunoby, which left the ball dead.
Indiana called a timeout to review the situation and successfully won the challenge. The officials determined that Brunson had made contact with the ball.
Chalamet, perhaps frustrated, was caught on camera urging, “Rise him!” as he watched the slow-motion replay unfold.
Haliburton smiled in Chalamet’s direction, who was seated along with actors and comedian Ben Stiller in the celebrity section.
The Pacers triumphed over the Knicks with a score of 138-135 in overtime, marking a dramatic comeback. The Knicks had led by 17 points before Haliburton’s long jumper tied the game at 125-125 as time was running out.
Indiana managed to capitalize on the overtime period, and Haliburton’s performance established him as a new rival for Knicks fans.
Following his clutch shot, both All-Stars made choking gestures towards the audience, echoing Hall of Famer Reggie Miller’s notorious antics against the Knicks in the 1994 playoffs.
This matchup comes on the heels of last year’s Conference Semi-Final, where the Pacers had ultimately prevailed in a seven-game series.
Game 2 is scheduled for Friday night in New York before the teams head to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4 at Gainbridge Field House.
