Tyrese Haliburton’s jumper soared, bounced, and finally dropped, just like the jaws at Madison Square Garden as the Indiana Pacers pulled off a miraculous 138-135 overtime victory over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Down 14 with under three minutes to play, the Pacers looked buried. But this Indiana team, built on youthful belief and postseason grit, summoned one of the most improbable comebacks in modern playoff history.
At the heart of it was Haliburton, who nailed the game-tying shot in regulation, sparking wild scenes on the Indiana bench. “It felt good when it left my hand,” he said. “But it felt like it got stuck up there.”
The shot, ruled a two-pointer, was nearly mistaken as a game-winner. Haliburton, thinking he had sealed it, sprinted to the sideline and flashed the infamous choke sign to the Garden crowd which was a nod to Reggie Miller’s 1994 theatrics. “If I would’ve known it was a two, I would not have done it,” Haliburton admitted.
But the real drama had just begun. In overtime, the Pacers’ momentum snowballed. Nesmith erupted with 30 points, drilling an outrageous 8-of-9 from deep, including six triples in the fourth, a playoff record-tying feat.
Indiana’s late-game resilience has become a trademark this postseason. This marked their third comeback when trailing by multiple possessions in the final minute, something only one other NBA team had ever achieved.
Myles Turner summed it up bluntly: “We thought it was over, but it is what it is. I’m just used to it.”
The Knicks, behind a 43-point masterclass from Jalen Brunson and 35 more from Karl-Anthony Towns, had looked in control. Their win probability peaked at 99.8%, but history had other ideas.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle kept perspective, calling it “a long series” with “another war” to come in Game 2. But Indiana have already landed a psychological blow that may echo through the rest of this battle.
