The Pacers-Knicks rivalry reportedly took an ugly turn during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals after an Indiana man was charged with stabbing a pair of Knicks fans at a local brewery.
According to FOX 59 News, a 24-year-old Pacers fan faces three felony charges for the act. Including “one count of battery by means of a deadly weapon, one count of battery resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.”
Police were initially called about a fight involving the fan, but once he left they were told not to respond. That was until he returned with a knife and stabbed one New York fan in the back and another in the leg.
#NEW: An Indiana Pacers fan stabbed two New York Knicks fans while watching Game 2 at a bar in Carmel, IN on Friday night, per court docs. The victims told cops Jarrett Funke was harassing them for being Knicks fans and after he got kicked out he came back and stabbed them. pic.twitter.com/0Q1T3L6MQI
— Max Lewis (@MaxLewisTV) May 27, 2025
According to the fan who did the stabbing, the Knicks supporters were “talking [expletive]” and started the altercation. But multiple witnesses describe him as the “primary aggressor” in the incident.
The man, identified as Jarrett Funke, claimed one of the victims shoved him to the ground and “began punching him in the face.” After which he says he “retrieved his pocketknife from his hoodie and swung it around towards [one of the Knicks fans] back with his right hand.”
The Pacers ended up winning Game 2 of the ECF, 114-109, to take a 2-0 series lead over New York heading back to Indianapolis.
Funke’s initial hearing reportedly took place this afternoon in Hamilton County with his first two charges being level 5 felonies and the third being a level 6.
Game 4 between the Knicks and Pacers takes place Tuesday night at 8 PM ET on TNT where NY could potentially even things up with another win on the road.
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