The New York Knicks held a 14-point lead with under three minutes remaining on Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers. But in a stunning turn of events, that lead evaporated—thanks in large part to an unbelievable shooting performance from Aaron Nesmith, who knocked down five 3-pointers in the three and a half minutes of regulation.
That said, with the game on the line, the Pacers turned to Tyrese Haliburton—arguably the clutchest player of this postseason—and he delivered once again. Haliburton nailed a buzzer-beating shot with his foot just on the three-point line, tying the game at 125 instead of winning it outright.
The shot bounced high off the back rim before dropping in, sending the game to overtime and instantly sparking a reaction from fellow Indiana basketball star Caitlin Clark of the Fever.
"PACERS ARE THE GREATEST COMEBACK TEAM I’VE EVER SEEN," Clark posted—likely thinking the game was won in the heat of the moment before the replay revealed Haliburton’s foot was on the line.
Despite the dramatic end to regulation, it was the Pacers who pulled off the unthinkable—mounting a furious fourth-quarter comeback, forcing overtime, and ultimately stealing Game 1 at Madison Square Garden in a matchup that once looked like a sure victory for the Knicks.
Tyrese Haliburton
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) and guard Cameron Payne (1) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden.
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Tyrese Haliburton delivered a masterful performance, finishing with 31 points and 11 assists, while Aaron Nesmith added 30 points of his own. For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 43 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns followed suit with 35 points and 12 rebounds.