Tyrese Haliburton invites heckled Pacers fan from New York City - ESPN

An Indiana Pacers fan who was pelted by bags of garbage and heckled for donning a Tyrese Haliburton jersey on the streets of New York City has been invited by the Pacers star to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis.

Hans Perez appeared on «The Pat McAfee Show» on Monday afternoon and revealed he was a firefighter and a lifelong Pacers fan — showing off a Pacers tattoo on his wrist — before he was surprised by Haliburton with the good news.

«Everybody in our organization wants to make sure you're taken care of,» Haliburton said on a video call from Indianapolis after the team practiced Monday. «All the team's excited to meet you. It's all we've been talking about.»

Perez was followed on the streets by a large crowd of Knicks fans, who were celebrating after Friday's victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. After getting hit twice with bags of garbage, Perez continued to walk away as the crowd continued to follow him and heckle him in a clip that has gone viral on social media.

Both Haliburton and McAfee expressed sympathy for Perez's situation; Haliburton invited him, along with a guest, to Game 4 in Indiana next Tuesday.

«I'm pretty sure we can work something out,» Perez said about getting the day off from work. He also thanked Haliburton and began a «Let's Go Pacers» chant.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals between New York and Indiana begins Wednesday night in New York.