"I want to go f**k up Tyrese Haliburton" - 5x NBA All-Star shares unfiltered opinion league’s lack of intense rivalries
NBA legend Tim Hardaway Sr. disapproved of the NBA's lack of rivalries. Since the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers stopped clashing in the NBA finals, it's been hard finding a new rivalry in the league.
Although some teams have been part of heated moments, an old-fashioned rivalry made fans tune in to watch games whenever they played. During Wednesday's edition of "Gil's Arena," Hardaway discussed the lack of rivalries in the league and how players take care of their money.
"There's no real rivalries, let's get it right," Hardaway said. Rivalries like, you're scrapping, you fight, they're throwing blows, they're don't care about their money — that's a rivalry.
The former Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat star added that players often tease fans about an in-game or postgame fight after spending big chunks of games trash-talking, only to be cordial with one another when the final buzzer sounds. He also named one player he would like to get physical with if he was still playing.
"I saw the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons went up there and beat them and then Indiana came in with their squad and busted the Pistons a**," Hardaway said. "And then the Pistons were like, 'Yeah, we'll see you in a couple of weeks.' I'm in front of the TV, I'm watching my son and stuff. They get their a** whooped. If I go back and suit up, I wanna go f**k up (Tyrese) Haliburton. He talks so much s**t I want to go back and bust his motherf***ing a**."
Coincidentally, the Pacers and Pistons have an infamous history together. They were part of the "Malice at the Palace," which caused several suspensions for players in 2004.
LeBron James was blamed for lack of NBA rivalries
Tim Hardaway's complaints about the state of the NBA aren't new, as he's not the only one wanting more rivalries between teams. LeBron James was blamed for the lack of rivalries in the league, but the LA Lakers star rejected that noise in March 2020. James had an NSFW response to haters criticizing his treatment of opponents.
"Anybody that says, ‘LeBron, why would he do that while he’s playing? He’s showing signs of weakness, he’s buddy-buddy with these guys he’s going against," James said, via The Baltimore Banner's Kyle Goon. "Tell em to kiss my a**. With a smile, too."
The NBA tried to offer a better product since the brawl between the Pacers and Pistons, but some fans would likely be happy seeing more aggressiveness on the court.