The Indiana Pacers made an incredible comeback, erasing a 17-point gap in the fourth quarter and ultimately triumphing over the New York Knicks 138-135 in overtime, securing a dramatic victory in the first game of their Eastern Conference finals series.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks, scoring 41 points, and took his team to a 69-62 halftime lead. New York kept adding to the advantage, pushing the lead to 14 points with less than three minutes left in regulation.
Historic Comeback by Indiana Pacers
Indiana’s offense flared late, making six straight three-pointers, five of them from Aaron Nesmith. Tyrese Haliburton forced overtime with a two-pointer as time ran out.
The Pacers took the momentum into overtime, surviving a dramatic victory at Madison Square Garden.
Haliburton came close to closing out the game in regulation with a three-pointer and even replicated Reggie Miller’s famous ‘choke’ celebration. However, officials called his attempt a two-pointer after replays showed his foot was on the line.
“I’m so proud of this team’s toughness. We’ve won in so many different ways, but we just kept grinding,” Haliburton said after the game. “We’ve been in so many games where it seemed like the other team was in charge. But we showed that it’s never done until the clock expires. That was a big win, though we know we can play better.”
This is the fourth instance in franchise history that the Pacers have rallied from behind 15 or more to take a playoff win. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau accepted the difficult defeat, adding, “It’s disappointing, but we’ve got to refocus and be ready for game two. We need to turn this frustration into determination.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game One of the Western Conference Finals and earned the NBA’s Most Valuable Player title for the 2024-25 season.