The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks rivalry entered a new chapter with the race for the 2025 NBA playoffs. Given the Pacers' recent success, they've found themselves in a favorable position. Indiana's five-game stretch placed immense pressure on the New York franchise.
The Pacers are only three games out of the Eastern Conference's third seed, which the Knicks currently hold. Despite a lackluster 9-14 start to the 2024-25 season, they can realistically clinch the coveted playoff position.
After their 4-1 stretch over the last five games, the Pacers have the momentum the Knicks envy. However, earlier in the season, the Knicks appeared like a significantly better team than the Pacers, their head coach, Tom Thibodeau's obsession with overextending minutes to his start has started to catch up to the New York franchise.
New York is 1-4 in the same allotted stretch, pushing the Jalen Brunson-led team into an uncomfortable position. The last time the Pacers and Knicks battled for a significant position, New York failed miserably.
Related: Myles Turner Breaks Silence on Pacers Fight With Nets
In Game 7 of the 2024 playoffs, the Pacers blew out the Knicks, which granted them a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals against the eventual Boston Celtics.
Speaking of the Celtics, if the Pacers clinch the third seed, they could avoid a second-round matchup with the reigning NBA champions and possibly hold an Eastern Conference Finals rematch.
However, before getting ahead of themselves, the Pacers must focus on the task at hand: beating the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, furthering their realistic pursuit for the third seed.
Related: Pacers Secure Win Over Nets Amid Intense Fourth-Quarter Drama
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This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 1:58 PM.