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With Reggie Miller on the call, the Indiana Pacers paid tribute to their franchise legend on Wednesday evening.
Well, it was not a direct tribute – but the New York Knicks, during their first match of the 21st century conference final, were the subject of a two -digit lead in the fourth quarter in match 1 against Indiana, 138-135.
New York led by no less than 17 with just over six minutes, and even by 14 with less than three, but it was not a match for the Pacers.
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The Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton (0) goalkeeper, famous with his teammates after matching the match at the fourth quarter to send the match in overtime against the New York Knicks during the final of the Eastern Conference of the NBA 2025 eliminations in Madison Square Garden. (Images of Brad Penner-Imagn)
Aaron Nesmith made his best impression of Miller by drilling six three consecutive points to help Indiana reduce their deficit only two points with 22.1 seconds. After the Knicks, twice, went 1 for 2 on the line, Tyrese Haliburton struck a buzzer drummer that he thought was a three and made the infamous Miller strangulation signal while pointing it. But, Haliburton’s toe was at stake, and the game went to overtime.
New York took a four-point lead to start extra time, but a 5-0 pacers race gave them their first lead since it was 45-44 in the second quarter. Neither of the two teams has come out of more than one advance for the next two minutes and more, until the former Knick Obi Toppin slammed a house with 15.3 seconds to increase three. The Knicks missed two three games and the Pacers stole the victory.
The teams leading to an eliminatory match of more than more points in the last minute of the fourth quarter or extensions of an eliminatory match were 1,414-0 since 1998 on Wednesday.
In addition, since 1997, the teams have now been 4-1640 when they have been lying down by seven points and more in the last minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of an eliminatory match – the Pacers have won three of these games this season only.
May 21, 2025; New York, New York, United States; The Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton (0) goalkeeper shoots the New York Knicks goalkeeper Josh Hart (3) in overtime in the first match of the Eastern Conference of the NBA 2025 qualifiers at Madison Square Garden. Compulsory credit: Brad Penner-Imagn images (Images of Brad Penner-Imagn)
The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the first MVP NBA career prize in career
Unfortunately for the Knicks, it was a taste of their own medication – they had finished the returns of 20, 20 and 14 points against the Boston Celtics to win their second round series.
Haliburton and Nesmith had respectively 31 and 30 points – 20 from Nesmith came in this fourth epic quarter.
Jalen Brunson paved the way with 43 points, while Karl -Anthony Towns succeeded 35 rebounds and more – but none hit their three play points in the last seconds.
This series is a revenge match of the second round last year, which the Indiana won in seven games against a team of Knicks in injury, but this is also what the Knicks were confronted in the finals of the Eastern Conference in 1999 and 2000 – The teams divided these two series.
The Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton (0) goalkeeper makes a strangulation movement to the New York Knicks after hitting a shot at the end of the fourth quarter of the match 1 of the NBA Basketball Eastern Conference final on Wednesday May 21, 2025 in New York. (AP photo / Frank Franklin II)
In fact, the Knicks and the Pacers clashed four times in the playoffs in the 1990s, the two teams winning a pair. The two New York victories sent them to the NBA final.
Now rivalry is warmer than ever. Match 2 is Friday evening at Madison Square Garden.
And if there is a saving grace for the Knicks, they would eventually win the series where Miller struck them with his strangulation signal.
