The ghosts of Reggie Miller were alive and well at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night – and Tyrese Haliburton once again played the role of Garden villain to perfection.
Haliburton tied the game with a wild jumper at the buzzer in regulation, then helped Indiana complete a stunning 14-point comeback in the final three minutes to shock the Knicks 138-135 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
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The Pacers now hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after one of the most improbable finishes in recent playoff memory.
Trailing 121-107 with under three minutes left in regulation, the Pacers stormed back behind a flurry of Aaron Nesmith three-pointers and timely defensive stops. Haliburton, who finished with 31 points and 11 assists, tied the game with a high-arcing jumper that hit the back of the rim, bounced straight up, and dropped through as time expired. He sprinted toward the sideline and flashed a choke sign to the crowd – a direct nod to Miller’s infamous 1994 taunt aimed at Spike Lee.
Replay review confirmed Haliburton’s toe was on the line, making it a two-pointer and knotting the score at 125 apiece.
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In overtime, Indiana’s poise and composure in the Garden cauldron prevailed. After trading buckets with the Knicks, the Pacers took the lead for good on Andrew Nembhard’s driving layup with 26 seconds left. The Knicks had two chances to tie or win, but Jalen Brunson missed a contested jumper and Karl-Anthony Towns misfired on a deep three just before the final buzzer.
It was a collapse of epic proportions for the Knicks, who appeared to have the game sealed after a 19-3 run midway through the fourth that opened a 111-94 lead. Brunson had 43 points and five assists, but went cold late, and Towns finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds.
Nesmith was the unexpected spark plug for Indiana, finishing with 30 points – 12 of which came during the furious final stretch of regulation. Myles Turner added 14 points, while TJ McConnell chipped in 10 off the bench.
For the second straight postseason, Indiana has come into the Garden and silenced it. Last year’s Game 7 blowout left a scar. This one may have even worse.
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The Knicks’ five-game home playoff win streak is over. Game 2 is Friday night in New York, where the pressure is now squarely on the hosts.
More to follow.
