The Indiana Pacers delivered a shocking comeback Wednesday night, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the final three minutes to defeat the New York Knicks 138–135 in overtime and seize Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden.
Haliburton and Nesmith Lead Late Surge
With 2:50 left on the clock and the Knicks seemingly in control, the Pacers looked all but finished. But a late scoring explosion from Aaron Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton rewrote the script in stunning fashion.
Nesmith, 25, ignited the comeback with five clutch three-pointers in the closing minutes of regulation, shaking the Knicks’ defense and breathing life back into Indiana’s hopes. Haliburton then delivered the game’s signature moment: a long-range jumper at the buzzer that bounced in and sent the game to overtime. Initially thought to be a game-winning three, replay confirmed it as a two-pointer—still enough to force extra minutes.
From there, the Pacers never looked back. Haliburton finished with 31 points and 11 assists, while Nesmith added 30 points, shooting a scorching 8-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Echoes of History and a Touch of Controversy
Following his game-tying shot, Haliburton mimicked Reggie Miller’s infamous “choke” gesture—directed at the crowd in a moment reminiscent of Miller’s legendary 1994 playoff performance against the Knicks. That time, Miller directed the gesture toward Knicks superfan Spike Lee during another dramatic Pacers comeback.
Asked about the gesture postgame, Haliburton admitted he acted in the moment and later expressed some regret.
“If I would’ve known it was a two, I would not have done it,” he said. “It felt right at the time. But I don’t plan on using it again.”
Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle downplayed the incident: “It’s an emotional thing, it’s not a big deal. The environment was crazy. This is the kind of place where you want to test your mental toughness.”
Knicks Collapse Despite Strong Performances
Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 43 points and acknowledged Indiana’s resolve.
“Give them a lot of credit, they closed the game out like they’ve been doing all playoffs,” Brunson said. “Just not really good on our part.”
Karl-Anthony Towns added 35 points and 12 rebounds for New York, but dismissed the historical parallels between this loss and past Knicks playoff heartbreaks.
“We’re not here to repeat history, we’re here to make history,” Towns said. “I only think about the present and what we can do right now.”
Indiana’s Postseason Magic Continues
This was the third miraculous comeback by the Pacers in these playoffs. According to team data, Indiana now accounts for three of the four postseason wins since 1997 where a team overcame a seven-point deficit in the final 50 seconds of regulation or overtime.
More impressively, Indiana became the first team in 27 years to erase a 14-point gap in the final 2:50 of the fourth quarter in a playoff game—a feat previously unsuccessful in 971 attempts.
With their dramatic Game 1 win, the Pacers have taken the early edge in a series steeped in rivalry and history. Game 2 tips off Friday night, again at Madison Square Garden.