THE Indiana Pacers orchestrated a monumental comeback to defeat the New York Knicks 138-135 in overtime on Wednesday night (Thursday, May 22, 2025, PH time), seizing a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers, trailing by a seemingly insurmountable 14 points with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, clawed their way back into the game on the strength of a historic shooting performance from Aaron Nesmith and a dramatic, game-tying jumper from Tyrese Haliburton as time expired.
The Madison Square Garden crowd was buzzing, anticipating a Knicks victory in their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000, when the Pacers began their improbable rally.
Nesmith, who finished with an astounding 30 points on 8-for-9 shooting from three-point range, ignited the charge with a flurry of late triples. His pinpoint accuracy from beyond the arc chipped away at the Knicks’ lead, setting the stage for Haliburton’s heroics.
With the Pacers down by two and the clock winding down, Haliburton, who tallied 31 points and 11 assists, controlled the ball, momentarily lost his handle, then regained it before launching a high-arcing jumper.
The shot bounced precariously high off the back of the rim before dropping in, sending the game into overtime at 125-all. Replays confirmed Haliburton’s toe was on the line, making it a two-point field goal rather than a game-winner.
In a nod to Pacers legend Reggie Miller’s infamous “choke” signal to Spike Lee in a 1994 playoff game, Haliburton made a similar gesture to the stunned New York crowd after his clutch basket.
The Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson’s game-high 43 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ 35 points and 12 rebounds, struggled to contain Indiana’s
late surge.
Their collapse was particularly stunning, as teams holding a 14-point lead with under 2:45 left in the fourth quarter had been an almost perfect 994-0 since detailed play-by-play data began being kept in the 1997-98 season.
Despite building a significant lead, including a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter while Brunson was on the bench in foul trouble, the Knicks could not close out the game.
Even after Nesmith’s hot streak, Brunson’s three-pointer gave New York a seemingly safe 119-105 lead with 2:51 to go.
However, Nesmith hit two more consecutive 3s and then converted both free throws after being intentionally fouled to prevent him from tying the game with another long-range shot, ultimately giving Haliburton the chance to force overtime.
In the extra period, Andrew Nembhard eventually provided the go-ahead basket for the Pacers with 26 seconds remaining, sealing a thrilling and deflating Game 1 for the Knicks.
This marks a dramatic start to the ninth playoff matchup between these fierce rivals, whose history dates back to the 1990s. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Friday night. / FROM THE WIRES