Rivalry renewed with a bang. Mayhem at MSG.
The Indiana Pacers pulled off the improbable, coming back from a 17-point deficit with seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter before beating the New York Knicks in overtime to win the opening game of their NBA Eastern Conference finals series 138-135. With the win they stole homecourt advantage.
Jalen Brunson ended the night with a game-high 43 points for the Knicks and helped them grab a seven-point lead, 69-62, at half-time. Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double with 35 points and 12 rebounds.
The hosts continued to separate themselves and were 14 points clear with two minutes and 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter. But the Knicks could not protect the big lead they built while Brunson was on the bench with 5 personal fouls and had a collapse unlike any other in postseason history.
The Pacers were on fire from beyond the arc, knocking down six straight three-pointers, five by Aaron Nesmith who scored 20 of his 30 points in the frame, before Tyrese Haliburton forced overtime with a miraculous two-point shot at the buzzer.
Momentum remained with the Pacers in the extra session as they recorded a famous victory on the road at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m so proud of the resilience of this group, we’ve shown it all year. We’ve had to win in so many different, random, unique ways and we just kept going, kept fighting, and man, that’s fun,” Haliburton told TNT.
“We played a lot of games where it felt like the other team had control.
“It ain’t over until it’s over, until it hits zero. That’s a hell of a win. But I really do think there’s a lot for us to improve on.”
Haliburton thought he had won the game in regulation when attempting a three-pointer, even mimicking Hall of Famer Reggie Miller’s infamous ‘choke’ celebration from 1994, but replays indicated his toe was just barely on the line and it only counted for two.
The Pacers are the comeback kids. It is the fourth time the Pacers have won from being 15 points or more down during this playoff run.
“There’s obviously a disappointment when you fall short,” said Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.
“We got to be ready for game two, and that’s all you look at. So, the disappointment, we’ve got to turn that into more determination.”
It was a star-studded affair inside Madison Square Garden.
There are always celebrities in the arena whenever the New York Knicks are in town, but the stakes turned up a notch as the team hosted their first Eastern Conference final home game since 2000.
As New York has embarked on their 2025 playoff run, more stars have shown up and been in the seats to cheer them on and show support.
Tracy Morgan, Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller were front and center. Martha Stewart, the lifestyle icon, former Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, ten-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, who played for the Knicks from 2011 to 2017, was on hand to watch his former team compete. He was seated next to former Knicks teammates Amar’e Stoudemire (2010–2015) and J. R. Smith (2012–2015). Former Knick Baron Davis, who had a cup of coffee in New York from 2011 to 2012, was also spotted. Patrick Ewing, another Knicks legend, and former Knicks’ players Latrell Sprewell (1999–2003), John Starks (1990–1998) and Stephon Marbury (2004–2009) were also in attendance to take in the action. Olympic gold medal gymnast Suni Lee and of course actor/director Spike Lee were there also.
The second game of the best-of-seven series takes place in New York at 8:00 ET on Friday on TNT.
