It’s been 25 long years, and now the Indiana Pacers are just one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. The New York Knicks are hanging on for dear life against a red-hot Pacers squad that’s pushed them right to the edge. The man to blame is Tyrese Haliburton, as the virtuoso point guard has been electric, putting the Pacers on his back. Truth is, Indiana could’ve ended this drought way back in 2005. But then came the infamous Malice at the Palace. One of the players caught up in that chaos was Stephen Jackson, a key piece of that Pacers team who never got his shot at the Finals. Now, nearly two decades later, Jackson’s watching this new generation of Pacers chasing the moment he never reached. And you can feel how badly he wants it for them.

Tyrese Haliburton has been a phenomenon in these playoffs. After his indescribable performance in Game 4 in the conference finals, giving the Pacers a 3-1 series lead. There’s no doubt that he’s the heartbeat of this team. If anyone can turn Indiana’s championship dreams into reality, it’s him. And watching that kind of takeover, former Pacers forward Stephen Jackson couldn’t help but get caught up in the moment. Back in his day, Jackson was part of a Pacers squad that had a title shot ripped away after the Malice at the Palace incident. Now, seeing this young, hungry group led by Haliburton, he’s hoping they can finish what his team couldn’t.

In an Instagram post, Jackson shared clips from Tyrese Haliburton’s monster Game 4 performance against the Knicks, making it clear he’s all in on this squad. But the comment stole the show. As Jackson wrote, “20yrs from 2005 the year we should’ve done it, happy to see Rick and @tyresehaliburton get the @pacers back to championship form. Still haunts me the opportunity we screwed up and still made the 2nd round that year. Praying they can finish the job. Salute to the whole team and organization. Keep this thang going.”

Now, to give you a backstory, the date was November 19, 2004. A night no NBA fan will ever forget. The Indiana Pacers were about to close out a big win over the Detroit Pistons, leading 97-82, when chaos erupted. A fan threw a drink at Artest, and all hell broke loose. What followed was one of the darkest moments in NBA history, a full-blown brawl between players and fans. The fallout was brutal.

Artest was hit with an 86-game suspension, Stephen Jackson got 30, and Jermaine O’Neal took 25 (later reduced to 15). Even Ben Wallace caught a suspension. The Pacers’ title hopes were shattered. They managed to limp into the playoffs, but the magic was gone, and they fell in the second round. Fast forward to now, and for the first time in years, there’s hope in Indiana. Stephen Jackson, one of the central figures on that infamous night, is pulling hard for his former team.

Stephen Jackson hails Tyrese Haliburton’s basketball “IQ” after his Game 4 heroics

Tyrese Haliburton brought absolute heat down on the Knicks in Game 4. The Pacers star dropped a staggering 32-point, 12-rebound, 15-assist, zero-turnover triple-double, lifting Indiana to a 130-121 win and putting them just one victory away from their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years. And now from teammates to fans to former Pacers legends, everyone’s tipping their hat to Tyrese.

One of the loudest voices in his corner? Stephen Jackson. The former Pacers forward couldn’t hold back his praise during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show. “I think his whole success is being a student of the game and understanding the game,” Jackson said. “To have 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists with no turnovers for like the sixth time, that’s all IQ,” he added.

And Jackson wasn’t done. He went on to say, “The guys you’re playing against, the plays you’re making, they’re just so ahead. That’s why he’s not getting turnovers. It’s not surprising his IQ’s so high.” And looking at his stats, it’s clear that Haliburton isn’t just hooping, he’s outshining everybody on the floor. And with the Finals now within reach, both Stephen Jackson and Indiana fans are dreaming bigger than they have in decades.