Knicks fans thought the game was won as they were up by 17 with only a few minutes left in the 4Q. But with a little over two minutes remaining, the Indiana Pacers went on a historic run and shocked the New York Knicks in overtime 138-135, to steal Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers, and their miraculous comeback. were led by star guard Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith, who poured in 31 and 30, respectively.
But it was Nesmith who fueled the charge, shooting 8-9 from the three-point line and dropping 20 points in the crucial 4Q. That opened the door for Haliburton, who nailed the game-tying shot with no time left in regulation, a shot he thought was a game-winner, which propelled him to replicate Reggie Miller’s infamous “choke” gesture that Knicks fans remember all too well from the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.
Haliburton, who was voted the most overrated player, also added 11 assists in the game.
Most impressively, the Pacers had contributions from the entire team and all of their starters scored in double figures.
For New York, it was a crushing loss, especially considering they had a sizeable lead in the 4Q and held a double-digit lead with 2:45 remaining in the game.
While the Knicks have shown resiliency all season, this still was a bad loss for NY.
But for the Pacers, stealing Game 1 gives them an advantage and hopes for a sweep in Indiana.
Game 2 is on Friday night at MSG.
